Have Faith
by ficvirgin
Summary: Peter Pan is growing restless in Neverland. His shadow, sensing his boredom, brings someone new to the island to liven things up. Little does Pan know, she will change his life. Rated M for dark and mature themes in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

-Peter-

Peter Pan paced the silent campsite late in the night. All the other Lost Boys, even Felix, had long gone to bed, yet he still couldn't wind himself down. He was restless, bored even. The wind whipped through the trees, and the clouds threatened rain, mirroring the turmoil he felt inside. His face was screwed up in annoyance as he paced back and forth between the boys, taking care not to step on any of them, lest they wake up and irritate him further. The fire pit in the center only contained glowing embers, the only remaining remnants of their nightly dance.

The fact that he couldn't figure out why he was so annoyed irked Peter to no end. Things had been relatively normal in Neverland; well, as normal as they could be. He and the Lost Boys played their daily games, roughhoused, even taunted the mermaids, as per the usual. Maybe that was the problem; this was becoming a routine. And more than anything, Peter hated predictability. He relied on it sure, when he played his games and tweaked the rules to his favor but he despised it nonetheless.

He was so worked up that he hadn't even noticed his shadow enter the clearing. Only when he turned around to stalk to the other side of the clearing did he see it lurking amongst the trees. Peter's brow furrowed even further and he stopped in front of the dark being. His shadow's presence annoyed him more than he thought possible; he hated when it showed up without being called.

"What do you want?" Peter spat viciously at it. His voice raised considerably, echoing in the large clearing and causing a few Lost Boys to stir. His eyes flickered to them briefly, before he waved his hand and put everyone under a sleeping spell. Peter didn't need anyone eavesdropping.

His shadow chuckled darkly, it's eyes glowing dark purple, and Peter clenched his hands, willing himself not to strangle it, even though it would do him no good.

"You seem troubled, _master_," the shadow answered sarcastically. Its rasping voice made Peter bristle and he stared daggers at it.

"Do I really?" Peter snarled at his shadow, taking a step closer.

"You do. What's the matter now? Are the new recruits not adjusting well?" If his shadow had any discernible features, they would surely be sneering right now, and that pissed Pan off more so.

"They'll adjust!" Peter snapped back, turning around and beginning to pace again, "they always do." He could feel his shadow floating after him, and started to grind his teeth.

"Well, whatever could be the problem? You have Neverland at your fingertips, yet here you sulk." Again, the shadow seemed to be trying to purposely annoy Peter.

"I'm not sulking! And you'd better watch your tone. You seem to forget whose really in charge here." Peter turned around and stared his shadow in the eyes, his tone dangerous.

"Oh, trust me, I would never forget, _master_. You are the one and only master of Neverland," the dark mass replied in that grating tone it seemed to permanently utter.

"Why are you really here? And spare me the theatrics," Peter growled at his shadow, turning to pace again.

"I could sense you were upset. I came to make sure the new recruits I brought were to your satisfaction. I plucked them right from an orphanage, so they should be Lost Boy material."

"No, no, the boys are fine," Peter pinched the bridge of his nose, struggling to keep control of his anger. He could feel the wind picking up, and thunder rumbling in the distance. His shadow waited patiently for him to continue. After a few minutes, Peter spoke again.

"They're normal boys and will fit in perfectly," he spat bitterly. "It seems everything around Neverland has been normal recently."

"And this displeases you?" Peter fought the urge to strangle his shadow again. He hated when people asked stupid questions. Especially stupid questions meant to irritate him.

"Of course it displeases me! Neverland is_ not_ supposed to be normal. It's supposed to be fun, exciting, and mysterious even. I'm supposed to be on my toes, waiting for the next move, predicting it and winning the game. It's almost too easy, lately," he ranted angrily to the black, misty figure beside him.

He hated to complain, it was a sign of weakness, but he also hated that he wasn't being challenged enough. All the new boys to arrive had been young and impressionable, accepting their fate immediately, accepting him as their leader. That was all fine, but he still wanted a fight out of some of them, someone to chase or scare. Peter was wild and untamed, and required constant stimulation. Being idle was revolting to him. It was the reason he came to Neverland in the first place; to escape the mediocrity of the real world.

"What do you suggest we do, Pan?" the shadow prompted, snapping Peter out of his thoughts.

"I want you to do your damn job, and find me someone interesting!" Peter snarled at it, and added with a malicious gleam in his eyes, "someone with a fire inside."

"As you wish, _master_," his shadow bowed mockingly and flew into the stormy night sky.

Peter sighed in frustration, and sat down on a nearby log. He needed a distraction from his ever growing irritation. With a flick of his hand, he rekindled the coals in the fire pit and pulled out his knife. Grabbing a nearby branch, he began to whittle a figurine, using sharp, aggressive strokes, channeling his rage into the task. Within a few hours, the sky cleared and the moon shown bright into the clearing. Peter's thoughts turned to his shadow again, and he could only have faith that it would deliver what he wanted, otherwise things in Neverland would take a dark turn.

* * *

~Faith~

_Seven. Seven blocks until home. _Faith smiled to herself as she walked along the hot asphalt. It was an unusually hot summer this year in Phoenix. Almost as hot as the summer she had been born. Sweat trickled down her back, causing her shirt to stick to her skin, and the sun beat mercilessly down on her neck. Her wavy, auburn hair was tied in a messy ponytail to keep it off her neck, and her jean shorts chafed uncomfortably against her thighs. She counted the steps she took, stopping at seven and starting over again; it was a welcome distraction from the relentless heat.

It was in very similar conditions that Faith was born, July 7, of 1997. People said it was the hottest summer in decades, and the heat had caused rolling blackouts all over Phoenix. Her mother, her real mother that is, hadn't even named her when she had been born, she had refused to even touch her child. As soon as she was able to, she had left the hospital, probably to find something to drink, leaving Faith in the care of the state.

Faith's first stop was at a Catholic orphanage in the city. She had been told the nuns had taken pity on her, what with being abandoned by an alcoholic mother, and her father unknown even to the birth records. Whenever someone would come by to adopt a child, she was never chosen, and the nuns would whisper to her, "Have faith, child. Someday your time will come." Eventually the nuns just started calling her Faith.

When she was five years old, she became too old for the orphanage, and was placed into foster care. That's when the real hell started. For six years she was bounced around from home to home, no one able to handle her strange behaviors. She was a quiet child, they all said, she's too quiet. There was even a debate on whether to put her into a special education program at school, until she was tested for her IQ, and found to be above average for her age range.

Faith was eleven years old when she was placed into the care of Sharon O'Darren. An older, gruff woman with five other children already placed in her home, she didn't even greet Faith when they first met, just grunted at her to get in the car and took off. Faith quickly discovered why she had so many children from the foster system. Sharon used them to get welfare money, and would gamble it away, leaving the children to barely scrape by. There were some nights when Faith was so hungry it hurt to even think about food. She would have even welcomed eating the crickets chirping outside her window. Only when the oldest foster child, Chris, got a job when he turned 14, did they have a stable income.

He may have given food to the family, but he was no saint. He relentlessly taunted Faith for her quietness and her penchant for routines, purposely tripping her up to make her go into meltdown mode. Chris even got the other kids involved, all of them mocking her cruelly, making her curl into a ball and cry, hands over her ears just trying to keep counting. When they got bored with her and left, she would return to her normal selectively mute state, keeping to herself.

Faith relied heavily on her routines, never straying from what she knew. It made her stomach curdle just thinking about it. Her plastic watch she had gotten from a cereal box was her most prized possession. She glanced at it many times a day, making sure she was right on time. If she strayed even a minute past her routine she could feel the anxiety grow. A pit in her stomach the gnawed its way to through her mind, threatening to make her crack. Only when she began to count would she feel the panic begin to ebb.

The only other thing that would work against her anxieties was to read her fairy tales. Faith had taught herself to read at three years old, a feat that never ceased to amaze the nuns. The first tale she ever read was of Peter Pan. She was enthralled by his easy demeanor, and the idea of going to an island full of people just like her, those without a home, filled her heart with joy. She could just imagine running around with the Lost Boys, flying about the island with Peter and Tinkerbell, even becoming best friends with Tiger Lily.

Her second most prized possession was her large book of fairy tales, the edges of the pages worn from her nightly readings; she couldn't go to sleep without them. The very last thing she did in the day, at ten o'clock each night, was look at the stars in the sky, imagining that Peter Pan was out there somewhere, and fighting to bring her to Neverland.

Faith looked up to see she had arrived at the broken down house she called home. The shutters were hanging pathetically by the dirty windows, and it was in desperate need of a paint job. She counted the steps to the grimy front door, panicking a little when she was only able to get to five as she turned the knob.

The familiar sights inside seemed to calm her. The rest of her foster siblings were sitting at the couch as usual, bickering softly over what channel to watch on the television. Her foster mother was sitting at the kitchen table, scratching furiously at her lottery tickets, and muttering to herself in frustrated tones. Sharon never even looked up, ignoring the actions around her completely. Chris, however, heard the door creak open and turned to look at her with a cruel look on his face.

"Well, look who's finally home! It's the retard!" he cried out in a singsong voice, turning to face her. Faith ignored him as she always did, feeling anger inside her at his words. She hated that word, and hated him. She could hear the other kids snickering, all except the youngest, Teddy. She glanced nervously at her watch, relieved at seeing she was right on time. 4:45 pm.

"Did you get lost again? We almost thought you wouldn't come back this time," Chris continued, his eyes glinting horribly. Even though she arrived home every day at 4:45 pm, he still mocked her for "showing up late".

"Stop being mean, Chris," Teddy piped up with a frown on his face. The little child had always liked Faith, having to share a room with her since he came to live with them. He always joined her at 9:00 pm to listen to her fairy tales, giggling when she would give silly voices to each character. She only talked to him in this house. The others made her nervous, so nervous she almost felt like she would catch on fire.

"Shut it, Teddy," Chris growled, turning his attention back to the television. Teddy ignored him and ran up to Faith, hugging her tightly. She bristled slightly, but allowed the interaction. Normally she hated being touched, it made her panic inside even more. For Teddy she could make an exception. She could only allow it for a few seconds before she had to pull away and start to count again, trying to ease the growing fire inside her heart. Teddy never seemed to notice, however.

"What's for supper tonight, Faith?" he looked at her expectantly with his wide brown eyes. She allowed a tight smile to flicker over her face before answering.

"It's Wednesday. Wednesday means mac and cheese with hotdogs," Faith answered almost robotically. She said the same thing every Wednesday, and it gave her great comfort. She put her backpack down in the same spot as she always did by the front door and started towards the kitchen to make supper.

"Can I help, can I help?" Teddy piped up excitedly, following her like a little shadow. Inside she smiled slightly and nodded outwardly. He shrieked with delight and began to dance up and down.

She always gave him the job of gathering the ingredients and getting the silverware ready, if you could call plastic forks and paper plates silverware. She counted softly to herself as she stirred the macaroni, feeling Teddy whirling around her.

At exactly 5:10 pm she had finished as usual and began to dish out servings to everyone. Sharon ignored the children around her, sipping noisily from her beer and still focusing on her scratch cards. Chris shoved Faith aside to get to his own plate, while the others laughed appreciatively. She stayed off to the side until they had all gathered their food and sat with her own plate at the kitchen table, Teddy right beside her. She stayed completely silent while Teddy blabbered about his day, continuing to count her every bite. At 5:30 she finished eating and began to clean up everyone's plates. Chris and the others of course threw their plates at her, jeering loudly, while Teddy helped her pick up the mess. She washed the dishes she had used and handed them to Teddy to dry.

Faith glanced nervously at her watch, and seeing it to be 6 on the dot, sighed in relief. She walked down the hallway to her room to finish her homework as usual, Teddy right behind her. She worked on her advanced math problems, while Teddy played with his treasured dinosaur toys on their bed.

By the time she finished it was 7:56 pm, and she could feel her heart begin to race. It wasn't 8 like usual. She counted to calm herself down and pulled out her sketchbook. Inside were the various drawings, mostly of fairy tales, that she sketched before she began to read. The majority of said fairy tale sketches were of Peter Pan, flying around Neverland, arguing with Tink, fighting the wretched Captain Hook. She allowed herself a small smile as she began to sketch again, allowing the familiar strokes of her pencil to calm her down.

She glanced periodically at her watch and stopped sketching at 9 pm on the dot, pulling out her fairy tale book and clearing her throat, indicating to Teddy that it was time. He looked up from his toys and giggled excitedly, stretching out on the bed waiting for her to start reading. Faith joined him on the bed and began. Tonight's story was Cinderella, and how she endured her cruel step sisters, ending in true love with the aid of her fairy godmother. Next came Snow White and the seven dwarfs who helped her find her prince charming. Finally, as always she read the tale of Peter Pan and the lucky Wendy Darling, who got to travel to Neverland.

At 10 pm, she noticed Teddy's eyes drifting shut as usual, so she shut the book with a heavy contented sigh.

"Time for bed, Teddy," Faith said softly to the young boy, cringing slightly as she noticed he had laid his head upon her shoulder.

"Will you watch for Peter Pan?" he mumbled softly, squirming when she moved him to his side of the bed.

"I always do," she reminded him in a matter of fact tone. That seemed to please him, as he snuggled in tighter to his blankets and drifted off to sleep.

After watching him for a few seconds, she stood and stretched, feeling content that her routine had not been broken today. She slowly walked to the window and threw it open, kneeling on her knees and staring at the sky. Even when it was cloudy she looked out, looking at the second star to the right, and wishing upon it that some day she and Teddy could go to Neverland. There she stayed, not even bothering to count, as things were already going as planned and her heart was at ease.

At ten-thirty Faith rose, stretching her stiff joints again, closed the window and dressed for bed, a soft gray shirt and pajama shorts like always. She climbed into the bed beside Teddy, and snuggled into the blankets. Tonight had been a good night.

Faith awoke later, disoriented and sleepy, the night still dark. She glanced at the alarm clock beside the bed and it read 2:33 am. _No, no. Not good._ She thought to herself and could feel the panic begin to rise in her chest, burning like a furnace. She never awoke in the middle of the night. She tried to calm herself and began to count again until she noticed the window was wide open. That scared her even further. Faith knew for a fact she had closed it, she did every single damn night.

Her heart thumping wildly in her chest, she rose slowly from the bed, careful to not wake the sleeping boy beside her. She counted her steps, her breath; anything she could count she did. When she reached the window, her entire body was on fire with panic. _One, two, close the window. Three, four, you'll be fine. Five, six, seven_. Faith repeated to herself as she slowly closed the window and locked the latch on it. She stared for a good ten seconds, before she turned slowly and made her way back to the bed.

She was stopped abruptly by a gush of wind that rustled her still pony-tailed hair wildly around her face. Faith whipped around, heart thumping at a dangerously fast rate, and practically hyperventilating at this point. Her heart almost stopped when she noticed the window was wide open again. She could feel the tears pricking at her eyes, and her breathing rose noisily to and from her chest. Not even counting could help at this point. Her hands flew to her ears, trying to stop the blood rushing painfully through her ears, trying to ignore the fire raging inside her.

Faith looked around frantically, trying to find a logical explanation for what had just happened. She gasped loudly when she saw it. In the dark corner of the room, glowing purple eyes stared straight to her soul. Normally purple was a calming color for her, but never had she seen a color so menacing. Heat rose to every surface of her skin and she began whimpering, tears leaking from her eyes. And then she heard it chuckle. The thing in the corner _chuckled._ A small scream erupted from her, causing Teddy to stir in his sleep.

The thing laughed again, and slowly floated toward her; she realized it was a shadow. It raised a dark finger to where its mouth would have been and shushed her quietly. Faith shook her head from side to side, not wanting to believe, wishing it was just another of her nightmares. It was all too real, however, when it held its hand out and beckoned her closer. She stood rooted to the spot, unable to move, unwilling to move, toward the wretched creature. This caused a growl to raise from somewhere within the shadow, terrifying her. It moved at a lightening pace and gripped her wrist harshly, it's eyes glowing menacingly.

That was it for Faith. The panic was too much. She screamed so loud she thought her throat would start to bleed, and the shadow clapped its other dark hand over her mouth muffling the sound. Teddy, however, had already awoken with a start, and looked around the room with a dazed look in his eyes.

"Faith? What's going on?" He asked in a small voice, not seeing the shadow at first. When he spotted it however, he went white as a sheet.

The shadow turned its head to Teddy, narrowing its purple eyes, and began to rise in the air. Faith fought tooth and nail to try to remove herself from its grip but it was too strong. Picking up speed it headed toward the window and began to fly into the night sky. She could hear Teddy shouting behind her, but couldn't make out what he was saying. Her legs flailed pathetically in the air as it rose to the clouds, her eyes looking about wildly. Before she could stop herself she looked down, and seeing herself hundreds of miles above the city, gave a final scream before passing out.

When Faith awoke, she was lying on a beach, the rising tide tickling her toes. She groaned, feeling the pain in her body as if she had fallen. It hurt to breathe. Looking around she saw the shadow staring at her from a thick forest ahead. Frantically she looked around, trying to find somebody else, a building she could run to but there was nothing. Just her, the shadow, the forest, and a seemingly endless sea stretched before her.

"Where the fuck am I?" she practically shrieked at the shadow, the overwhelming panic rising in her again at an alarming rate. Again, it chuckled darkly, causing her heart to skip a beat in fear. The shadow flew towards her and looked straight into her green eyes with its own glowing purple ones.

"Welcome to Neverland," it replied in the raspiest voice she had ever heard, making her skin light up with fire again. She stared as it flew off into the night, leaving her alone and afraid on the beach.


	2. Chapter 2

**Authors Note: Thank you guys so much for reading! I know it doesn't seem like a lot, but 6 followers really means a lot to me! This is my first fic ever, so reviews are welcome. I want to know what you guys think! Thanks again!**

-Chapter 2-

-Peter-

The fire before him crackled merrily as Peter Pan lifted the flute to his lips and began to play. A slow, mournful tune sounded from the instrument, filling all the Lost Boys with a sense of longing. A longing to be wild and untamed like Peter. They couldn't stop themselves from hooting and dancing enthusiastically around the flames. Peter watched them with a calm look on his face, enjoying the utter control he had over the boys. Even Felix joined in, whooping and thrusting his giant club in the air.

Peter stiffened as he felt his shadow settle down beside him, showing up unannounced yet again. He stopped playing the flute, but none of the boys noticed, still enchanted by the notes he had played. Peter sighed and glared at the dark mass, raising an eyebrow questioningly.

"What do you want this time?" he asked wearily. He had been awake for four days straight now, trying to make Neverland interesting, but nothing had worked. Not even tracking Tinkerbell down and threatening her had made him feel any excitement. He could feel his eyes struggling to stay open, yet he fought the urge to close his lids. Maybe if he stayed awake long enough, his hallucinations could become a welcome distraction from his ever growing boredom.

"I found you somebody, _master_," it answered him in a taunting tone, rousing him from his thoughts. Peter clenched his jaw tight and spat angrily near the fire; he was not in the damn mood to be trifled with.

"Then what the hell are you bothering me for? Go bring them to me," he commanded sharply. His annoyance peaked again, and the wind began stirring in the trees. Still, the dancing Lost Boys took no notice, continuing their raucous celebrations.

"I already did, _my lord_," the shadow replied, tilting its head as if to convey confusion.

"Don't be stupid, I don't feel any presence on the island. Go and bring them to me now, or I swear to the gods I'll trap you in the light again," Peter snapped, feeling his patience wearing thin. What the hell was his shadow playing at? Peter Pan knew every single thing that happened on this island; he could sense every person here, knew practically every tree and rock in the freaking place. Nothing had changed in the past week since he had spoken to his shadow, he was sure of it.

"I'm telling you, Pan, I already brought her here. I can show you right where I left her," it countered coolly. Peter could sense his shadow's apprehension at his threat. The one thing a shadow can't stand, is light. They were attracted to it sure, but soon enough it drove them mad. The last time he punished his shadow, it hadn't spoken to him for three moons.

"Don't be ridiculous, you fool. Nothing has- what a minute did you just say you brought _her_ here?" Peter felt curiosity at first, wondering why the hell his shadow would bring him a girl. Then he felt rage. It knew the rule: no girls allowed, not since Wendy Darling. His nostrils flared as he struggled to keep his cool. The already swaying branches howled around him, and he could feel the island spitting with anger along with him.

"Yes, I brought a girl this time. I thought it would be a welcome change to your..." here the shadow paused as if for dramatic effect. "..._Routine_," it finished in a darkly humorous tone.

"You know the rules, damn it. No girls," Peter growled dangerously, his eyes flashing. The sky darkened furiously, and lightening crackled in the blackened clouds. He could sense his shadow panicking slightly, not wanting to be punished.

"Pan, listen to me. She's got everything you need. She has the fire inside her. I can show you!" its gravelly voice rose slightly an octave, trying to keep a steady demeanor but failing.

For a few seconds everything stilled. The Lost Boys had stopped their dancing and looked nervously between the boy and his shadow. The trees abruptly ceased their swaying, stilling ominously. Even the thunder seemed to stop echoing. Peter continued to glare with narrowed eyes at the black form of himself. They all waiting with bated breath for his reaction. Without taking his eyes off the shadow, Peter addressed the crowd of waiting boys.

"Who here would like to play a new game?" he smiled darkly, finally breaking eye contact with the seemingly nervous shadow. The boys around him whooped appreciatively becoming excited once they realized the prospect of a change.

"Whoever finds our new visitor first and brings her to me, gets to have a little fun with my shadow," Peter announced with an evil glint in his eye. The boys stared in awe at their leader, wondering if they had heard him right. Peter rarely punished his shadow, and had never let somebody else do the torture before. The chance to do something only Peter had done was tantalizing, and the boys resumed their wild shouts. The shadow frantically turned it's head preparing to escape, but Peter had already sensed that, and with a lazy flick of his hand, froze his shadow.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Let the games begin!" He rose from his seat on the log and raised his hands above his head theatrically. The Lost Boys needed no further encouragement. They all scrambled to find their weapons and crashed through the forest, all wanting nothing more than to please their leader. Peter looked in satisfaction at the chaos around him, finally feeling excited. He turned to face his frozen shadow, who was glaring viciously at him with its horrid purple orbs.

"Only time will tell whether your decision was correct or not, but you must never forget: _I_ am in charge here, and _I_ make the rules." Peter pointed a finger accusingly in the shadow's face. "I tell you what to do, and you do it, no questions asked. You got that?" He didn't bother listening for an answer; it was a rhetoric question anyway.

Peter strode to the other side of the clearing, sitting on a different log with a clear view of his frozen and clearly uncomfortable shadow and picked up a spear, sharpening it with deliberate strokes. Those who opposed Peter always learned their lesson. No exceptions.

Twirling the newly sharpened spear in his hands, Peter wondered why he couldn't feel the girl's presence on the island, _his_ island. It had to be some sort of weird joke his shadow was playing on him, although why it would risk punishment was beyond him. His thoughts drifted in and out of coherence, and Peter could feel the toll of his four day absence from sleep. He sighed heavily and stretched out next to the log, close to the still roaring flames. His eyes slowly closed, and he welcomed the sweet relief of sleep.

* * *

~Faith~

After the shadow had floated away, Faith curled up in the sand and tried to slow her racing heart. What the hell was that stupid thing talking about? Neverland?! No. Neverland was adventurous and inviting, and Pan always greeted you with a smile on his face, the Lost Boys close behind. This was nothing but a bad joke. Maybe Chris was just playing a really cruel prank on her and they were all waiting for her to absolutely lose it before they popped out and began laughing. She tried to reassure herself, but she knew that wasn't logical. But this sure as hell wasn't logical either.

Twenty minutes had passed before she could convince herself that Chris was definitely not going to pop out and scream, "Gotcha!" Another ten minutes passed before she was able uncurl herself off the ground, hugging her knees to her chest, listening to the waves crashing before her. Soon enough she even began to count the waves halfheartedly, her tears finally drying against her cheeks.

Faith stared hopefully at the night sky, wishing that stupid shadow would take her back to Teddy, or at least the _real_ Neverland. This couldn't be the same Neverland as her fairy tale stated. Neverland was supposed to be magical and inviting; this place was dark and foreboding. She could practically feel the evil in it, threatening to corrupt her soul.

Faith felt foolish just sitting there on the beach, not even trying to find a way home, so she rose resolutely to her feet, her face set in determination. There was no way she was going to sit back and let herself accept her fate. She was going to find a way out of here, and kick some major ass doing so. At least, she hoped she would; it would look really stupid if she met someone unknown and immediately curled up in a defensive ball.

Faith scanned the shore, seeing not a single sign of civilization; no sign of anyone. _It is night after all. They're probably all asleep, _she reasoned with herself, taking tentative steps along the beach. She realized suddenly that this was her first time actually on a beach. A cautious smile spread across her freckled face as she sunk her toes deep in the warm sand, relishing in the feeling. It was calming almost, and she could see why so many people vacationed to beaches. She almost could have stayed there relaxing all day until she remembered her predicament and snapped back to reality. Faith had to find a way out of here.

Her feet plodded forward in determination, and out of habit she glanced down at her watch. It was still frozen at 2:33 am. Her heart skipped a beat and blood rushed to the surface of her skin. She almost felt like she was sparkling, a feeling she'd never felt before in her panics. Ignoring the tension rising in her stomach and the tingling in her fingers, Faith began to count the steps she took along the beach, letting the familiar numbers echo through her mind.

She figured the best plan was to stick to the shore for now. There was bound to be a dock, or even a coastal town if she was lucky. She had no idea where she even was, but judging by the humid climate, it had to tropical. The shadow said it had brought her to "Neverland" so there was bound to be some delusional "Lost Boys" running around somewhere that could help her, maybe even their parents would be willing to lend a hand to a lonesome girl.

Faith shivered slightly as she continued her walk along the beach, realizing she was still in her pajama shorts and night shirt, and crossed her arms over her chest, hoping to generate some heat. The salty breeze coming from the ocean ruffled her hair gently, causing goosebumps to stir across her neck. She continued walking and counting, pausing every so often to look back and make sure she wasn't being followed, although she had no idea why anyone would even want to follow her.

_Yeah, a lost, vulnerable girl wearing only her pajamas wouldn't be appealing to creepy men at all_, she thought sarcastically. The idea made her skin crawl and her heart felt like it was being raked over coals; the tingling feeling had returned again. Faith tried to drown out the negative thoughts by continuing to count, with only mild success.

It was hours later, her legs weak and her mind hazy with lack of proper sleep, yet still she pressed onward. Everything still looked the same, almost as if she hadn't made any progress. The beach was smooth and white, the water crystal blue to her right, and the dark jungle at her left. The only indication that time was passing at all was the lightening of the starry sky, and some of the warmth beginning to return to the air. There was still no sign that the land was inhabited, no camps along the beach, not even beach chairs or umbrellas, and still no docks. Wherever she was located, it was definitely somewhere remote, and at that thought a shiver ran down her spine. Where the hell was she?

As the sun slowly peaked over the horizon, Faith could feel her exhaustion taking its toll. Her limbs screamed in protest with each step, and her stomach grumbled furiously, demanding nourishment. Yet she still couldn't stop, not until she found some sign, any sign really, that she wasn't entirely alone, and she could get off this wretched spit of land. Just as she began to grow desperate, her heart faltered and noticed something new.

In the distance she could see something along the beach. Shielding her hand against the harsh sunrise, she could make out that it was a thin line along the sand, and she felt giddy. Could those be someone's footprints? Somebody else here to help her? Ignoring her aching body, Faith picked up speed and ran awkwardly in the sand towards her target, her morale boosting with every stride. Closer and closer she came to her destination and she let out soft giggle, feeling hope spread through her like a drug.

When she finally came to a halt in front of the strange tracks, Faith was gasping for breath, and she leaned forward with her hands on her knees, trying to regain oxygen. As she slowly recovered, she looked around her, taking in exactly where she was. Something seemed a bit familiar about this place, she noticed. With a sickening feeling in her gut, she turned her head towards the water, and saw a deep indentation in the sand, almost as if somebody had fallen there. Faith's heart seemed to sink to her feet and she realized what was going on; those were her own steps she had encountered.

Not only did that mean she was no closer to getting back home, but she was also stuck on an island. An island with no docks, and seemingly no civilization to be found. Panic began to spread to her extremities, and the fire in her body lit up again, the flames licking hungrily at her misery.

With a frustrated stomp on the ground, she let out a desperate cry of anguish towards the sky. _Great, just what you fucking needed, Faith_, she thought bitterly, kicking at the sand in annoyance. She was tired, hungry, and just plain exhausted, all of her effort wasted to find herself in the same exact spot she left hours ago. Her only hope now was to go into the depths of the island, and search for people in that wretched forest. There had to be a town in there somewhere.

As she turned dejectedly to walk into the forest, Faith had the oddest feeling that she was being watched. She scanned the treeline desperately, straining to see anything unusual against the dark flora. _You're just being paranoid again_, she thought to herself, adding that she wasn't exactly known for being good under pressure. Just when she gathered her courage to take another step towards the creepy jungle, she heard someone chuckle.

"You look lost, girl. Need a hand?"

* * *

(Felix)

While the other Lost Boys ran frantically throughout the humid jungle, Felix did what he always did and took things slow. He sauntered lazily throughout the forest, jumping over roots with ease and avoiding the Dreamshade plants as if they were annoying relatives at a family function. He knew Neverland like the back of his hand, after years of running through it's darkened trees.

Felix would never forget his first night on Neverland. It had been raining furiously, and he couldn't find any shelter from the downpour. He had slipped and stumbled frantically through the trees trying to outrun Peter, but to no avail. Like magic, (here Felix chuckled darkly to himself) Peter had appeared before him with that wicked grin of his. How long ago that seemed, even though time stood still in Neverland.

The trees were becoming sparse, and he knew he was nearing the beach. Felix smiled to himself; the girl had probably stuck to the shoreline, not even bothering to brave the thick jungles ahead. He wondered why the shadow had brought her here. Peter had seemed livid when it had told him, and it seemed like Peter really had no idea there was someone new on the island. The thought made Felix uncomfortable. In all his time at the island, that had _never_ happened before. Nothing happened in Neverland without Peter knowing about it first.

When he reached the treeline near the forest, he could see the sun peaking over the horizon, announcing that morning had come. A feeling of triumph soared through him as he noticed the girl on the beach, looking extremely frustrated. He hadn't even broken a sweat trying to find her, and she had practically appeared in front of him.

Something about her seemed familiar to Felix. The wide, nervous look in her eyes, and the way she anxiously muttered under her breath. His heart froze as he realized who she reminded him of; his sister, back in the Enchanted Forest. They both had seemed like skittish deer, untrusting and innocent. He hurriedly pushed the thought away from his mind. Felix didn't like thinking of his sister.

When he looked up again, he saw the girl scanning the forest line. He took a step forward and the girl froze, hearing the rustling of his steps. Chuckling again, he stepped out into the morning sunlight, announcing his arrival.

"You look lost, girl. Need a hand?" he taunted lazily.

There was a moment of complete silence, and he knew what was going to happen next. She was going to run. Felix could tell by the way her eyes darted around, looking for escape routes. He suppressed a smiled; the newcomers always ran.

And run she did, darting into the forest to his left, her pale, slender limbs again giving him the mental image of a deer. Despite her seeming desperation, she was surprisingly quiet when she entered the forest. Turning on his heel with a grin on his face, he followed after her. This was going to be fun.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews guys, you're all awesome! I'm really glad you like it! Keep 'em coming, I want to know what you guys think! Thanks again, and I hope you like this chapter :)**

Chapter 3

~Faith~

Faith didn't even hesitate when she saw the hooded figure emerge from the treeline. One look at his scar and she was gone, the fatigue in her legs momentarily forgotten in an adrenaline fueled rush. Branches whipped her face and grabbed at her clothes as she fought her way through the thick woodland around her. Counting her steps furiously, Faith ran as fast as her legs would allow, hearing a steady rhythm that took the edge off of her panic. _Onetwothreefourfivesixseven, onetwothreefourfivesixseven_, she breathlessly muttered under her breath, clenching and unclenching her fists as she pumped her arms.

The further she ran into the forest, the thicker the woods became, closing in on her threateningly. She weaved through the undergrowth, jumping over rocks and tree roots blocking her path. Faith whipped her head back every few steps, trying to make sure that frightening boy wasn't following her. Her extreme caution cost her, however, when she failed to see a large root sticking out of the ground and tripped over it clumsily. Faith landed flat on her face, the wind knocking out of her lungs painfully. Her heart practically stopped when she heard that dark chuckle again, but she didn't dare look up.

"You're pretty fast, girl, I'll give you that, but you're also damn clumsy," the young man taunted, trying to get a reaction out of her most likely. He spoke slowly, painfully slowly, and it made Faith even more nervous than his scarred face, and that giant club of his.

Faith lifted her head slightly, seeing him staring down at her with an amused smile on his face. His scarred face made the pit in her stomach grow, and her entire body felt as if it was being consumed by flames. She wanted to tell him to leave her alone, but her throat refused to cooperate, as it so often did when she was confronted by people. Even Teddy had the ability to render her speechless if he caught her off guard.

Her silence seemed to displease the boy, as he shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other, looking like he was trying to figure her out. His eyes seemed guarded, like he was hiding his emotions from her.

They stayed like that in silence for a few awkward moments, each trying to gauge the others possible reaction. Faith was still on the forest floor, trying to regain her breath and also trying to figure out her next move. The scarred boy stood there with an eyebrow quirking at their ever growing silence.

"You're strange you know that? Pan's gonna like you," the boy said finally, in that slow drawl of his.

Faith felt her breathing hitch. _Did he just say Pan? I'm supposedly on Neverland, and there's someone named Pan_. _What the hell is wrong with this place?! _She thought in panic. Her body was getting that tingling sensation again. It wasn't a pleasant tingling either; it was like energy was trying to force itself out of her body, trying to escape through her skin. Faith could feel sweat dripping down her back, and whether from fear or the growing humidity, she couldn't say.

"Alright, I'm getting a little bored of this silent exchange of ours. Let's get you back to Peter; he can decide what to do with you," the boy sighed, and Faith noticed for the first time that he had blond hair peeking out from under his hood, coarse and dirty. That little tidbit failed to ease her fears; somehow even his hair was frightening.

He stepped forward, making as if to grab her, and she scrambled back frantically, eyes darting around looking for any possible escape. The teen look surprised, as if he had expected her to give up already, but it was quickly replaced by that frustrating smirk of his.

"Look, girlie, we already had our chase, and you lost. Now it's time to get you to your new leader."

_Your new leader?!What the hell does that mean?!_ Faith thought angrily. She didn't have time to meditate on that puzzling thought, before the boy leaned forward, grabbing her wrist. The second his hand touched her, she felt an exploding tingling feeling all over and a bright yellow light jumped from her fingertips, making the scarred youth jump back with a yelp.

He looked from her hand to his, a look of confused wonder dawning on his face. Her own thoughts were a jumbled mess, trying to figure out what the hell had just happened. _Did I just SHOCK him? With my hand?! _Faith screamed in her mind.

"Well I'll be," she heard the teen mumble, more to himself than to her. She took an opportunity in his state of awe and jumped to her feet, taking off to his left again. This seemed to take him by surprise, because she heard a slight gasp escape his thin lips as she ran past him. _Good. _Faith thought to herself in triumph.

Faith was practically screaming the numbers in her mind know, as her feet pounded against the forest floor. _ONETWOTHREEFOURFIVESIXSEVENONETWOTHREEFOURFIVESIXSEVEN! _A scream of terror, frustration, and confusion was building in her lungs, threatening to spill from her lips, but she choked it down. Faith would not let this boy know of her inner turmoil. She would not let him see her weak.

Tired as she was, Faith persevered, jumping over logs and roots with ease, sliding past deadly looking thorn bushes. This time she could hear him somewhere behind her, emitting short breaths as he struggled to keep up with her pace. She smiled, satisfied that she had caught him off guard. Her smile quickly fell from her face and she skidded to a halt. Straight ahead of her was a huge rock wall, and thick thorn bushes on her left and her right blocked any other route she could take. Unless the boy had terrible tracking skills, she was trapped. Faith's only choice was to turn around and hope he hadn't caught up with her yet.

No such luck. As soon as she turned her body, she could see his face mere inches from her quaking body. He was breathing heavily, and she could see moisture collecting at the tip of his long, straight nose. Before she could react, Faith saw him raise his club, his mouth set in a thin line, yet his eyes were displaying conflicting emotions. For a brief second, she thought she saw regret in his eyes, and before he slammed the club down, she could have sworn she heard him apologize softly. Faith felt a blinding pain, and then everything went dark.

* * *

(Felix)

_Son of a bitch, the girl can do magic,_ Felix thought in astonishment. He had tried to grab her wrist to bring her back to camp, tired of their awkwardly silent exchange, when she had shocked him. Literally. Weirdly enough, she was just as surprised as he was. Almost as if she hadn't known she could do magic. _Curiouser and curiouser_, he thought to himself with a smile, remembering the old Earth tale.

Without any warning, the girl took off again, and a gasp escaped Felix's mouth before he could stop it. Instantly he felt foolish; she surely heard that. His irritation rising, he whipped around and raced after her, slinging his club over his shoulder and clenching his jaw. She was incredibly fast for someone so clumsy, he noted again, seeing her barely in the distance, jumping over logs with those slender legs that still reminded him of a deer.

His cloak was clinging to him at this point, drenched in sweat, with no help from the sticky jungle around him. Felix could feel sweat dripping from his forehead to the point of his nose, the salty liquid starting to sting his eyes.

Before he knew it Felix had caught up with her and he felt a satisfied smirk spread across his face. She was trapped between two Dreamshade bushes and a high rocky wall, with nowhere to go but back towards him.

When she turned to face him, his blood ran cold. There was that look again, the one _she_ had always worn; his sister. A look of pure innocence, one that could not even be rivaled by a newborn child. With a heavy heart, he raised his club and for some unknown reason he felt regret pulse through him, and before he could stop himself, Felix mumbled a soft apology. Feeling sick to his stomach, he forced the club upon her skull, and with a sickening crack she felt to the forest floor.

Felix stood there in shock for several minutes, trying to figure out just exactly what the hell had happened. What the hell was wrong with him? Felix was known for his stoic manner, not even batting an eyelash to gut a boar, or land a punch on a young boys face. Yet here he was, _apologizing. _To a girl he had never even met. For all he knew she could be an evil bitch, deserving that blow to the head.

No, that wasn't true. The look in her eyes had shown him that. She was purehearted; Felix had seen that. It was as if he could stare straight into her soul when she looked at him. Those green eyes seeming to tell whole stories on their own. Much like his sister's.

_Stop thinking of her, damn it._ Felix mentally chastised himself, hating how weak it made him seem. More than anything, he hated to appear weak. It was how his father had always made him feel. He gritted his teeth at the thought of his alcoholic bastard of a father. Just thinking about that asshole made Felix's blood boil, his teeth practically gnashing together now.

With a shake of his head, as if to tumble the negative thoughts from his brain, he walked lazily towards the still girl. Felix softly prodded her with his club, making sure she was still passed out. She was. Positively out cold. Lack a sack of potatoes, she was flung over his shoulder, one hand on her back to steady her, another still grasping his beloved club. And onward he began to march, hoping they weren't too far from their current campsite.

Felix returned his thoughts to his club, a reminiscing smile creeping upon his lips. It was the first weapon Peter had given him, back when there were only four or five other Lost Boys on the island. While the rest of the boys fought with swords, one even with a bow and arrow, Peter had handed Felix a giant club. With a malicious grin on his face Peter had said to him, "Here. See what damage you can do with _this_." And had watched as he beat the other boys to a bloody mess. From that moment on, nobody messed with Felix. Even newcomers who had never incurred his wrath, didn't dare try.

The day stretched on as Felix continued on his way through the jungle, the heat rising slowly to an intolerable temperature. It wasn't normally this hot, Felix thought with a frown on his face. He pushed the thought away as he strode into the camp, the sun now high in the sky.

Dropping the girl on the ground (with much more care than he would've dropped one of the boys, though he would never admit that), Felix scanned the campsite for his leader, spotting him next to a log on the fire. Peter's eyes were shut, soft snores passing through his nostrils. He looked oddly peaceful, something that made Felix uncomfortable. Peter Pan was never peaceful and seeing him so was wrong. Much like a dog riding a bike, or a dwarf having a tea party. It was just weird.

Felix walked over to the sleeping boy, toeing him lightly on the shoulder. When Peter didn't wake, he wasn't surprised; he'd been awake for four damn days, of course he was tired. He was just about to turn around and let his leader be, when Felix heard him grumble.

"What it is, Felix?" he smirked at the fatigue in his voice.

"I found her," he stated simply. Felix was never one for theatrics. Everything was slow and simple in his mind. He never elaborated unless expressly told to do so.

"Did you now?" Peter asked, sitting up and rubbing his eyes as he did so. "Where is she?" Peter tried to stifle a yawn, failing miserably. Felix pointed with his club towards the crumpled pile of girl near the entrance to the camp. His leader smirked and rose to his feet, dusting himself off slightly.

"Well, what's she like the, Felix? Is she everything our dear shadow promised?" Felix glanced at the still frozen dark figure by the fire, and hesitated before answering.

"She's...definitely interesting, Pan." He saw Peter frown slightly.

"What the hell does that mean?"

"She's quiet for one. But she can run like hell." Felix stopped himself, wondering if he should tell him about the magic, or if Peter should figure it out for himself.

"And?" Peter demanded, sensing that Felix wasn't telling him everything. Felix shifted uncomfortably, and decided he'd better answer truthfully; Peter wasn't kind to liars.

"...She can do magic," Felix said, and at that Peter's eyes lit up like it was Christmas morning.

* * *

-Peter-

Peter grinned maliciously, all feelings of fatigue rolling off him as he felt something he hadn't felt in quite awhile; excitement.

"Magic, you say? What kind of magic, dear Felix?" the surly teen asked his second in command, with a dark humor in his voice.

"I'm not quite sure, to be honest. I don't think she knew she could actually do magic before she did it. She seemed just as shocked as I did," the boy admitted. Peter frowned again; what kind of person doesn't know they can do magic?

"Well, go on, how did it happen?" Peter prompted. He could sense his friend's apprehension at answering his question. The scarred young man seemed slightly embarrassed.

"I went to grab her hand, and..." Felix stated slowly, pausing and looking at Peter with an unreadable expression in his face.

"..._And_?" Peter asked again, beginning to get irritated. _For the gods' sake, just spit it out already, Felix, _he thought snappishly.

"...And when I touched her she shocked me." the boy stated simply.

"She shocked you?"

"Yeah."

Peter rolled his eyes, and pinched the bridge of his nose. _This is like pulling teeth, for Christ's sake_.

"Okay, so she shocked you. What color was it?" he urged, fighting the urge to slap Felix and his slow, monotonous voice.

"Well, my hand turned kinda red, almost like she burned m-"

"Not that, you idiot. The magic! What color was the damn magic?" Peter cut him off, clenching his fists to keep from strangling his friend. As much as he respected Felix, sometimes he pissed Peter off more than he cared to admit. He could see Felix frown at his insult before answering.

"Yellow. The beam was bright yellow."

_Interesting_, Peter thought. Yellow definitely wasn't an evil color, so he didn't have to worry about that. Yellow was a dreadfully happy color, one that annoyed Peter. He preferred dark, unsettling colors.

Walking over to her, with Felix close behind, Peter took in the girls state, wondering why she was even passed out. Turning to the boy next to him and glancing at his club, Peter smirked.

"What did you do to her, Felix? She's out cold."

"I hit her over the head with my club," the boy admitted sheepishly. Wait a minute. Felix? _Sheepish_? Peter frowned at his friend's odd behavior.

"What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing," Felix answered quickly, too quickly perhaps. Peter pushed the thought from his mind, deciding to focus on the girl instead.

Peter knelt down, one hand on his knee, as the other pushed her shoulder to turn her on her back. He felt his heart skip a beat and he frowned again. _What the hell was _that _about?_

He took in her delicate feminine features; she had a smallish nose and soft looking pink lips. Her longish auburn hair was tied back, and she wore short pants with a gray, and now torn, top. _Odd choice of clothing_, he thought. She was very pretty, and he found her smattering of freckles to be cute. _Cute? Peter you're going soft. _He scolded himself. It was probably because there hadn't been a girl on the island in ages. Not since Wendy...

Before he could let his mind wander to _that_ again, he snapped his fingers, ropes appearing on her wrists and ankles. He didn't want her running when she woke up again. Not when he had so many burning questions to ask her.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thank you so much for the positive reviews, favorites, and follows! Sorry it took so long for me to update but this chapter is a bit longer, and I had some trouble writing it. Again, hope you guys like it and let me know what you think! :)**

-Chapter 4-

~Faith~

The sun was beginning to set when Faith slowly opened her eyes, wincing at the searing pain in her head. Everything was too bright, and the boys in the camp sounded like they were screaming at her, even though they spoke in harsh whispers. She made to sit up, but quickly discovered it was a lost effort, being that her hands and feet were bound. _What the hell? Oh my god, are they going to roast me over the fire or something?_ Faith panicked to herself, darting her eyes from boy to boy, hoping above all that they weren't murderous cannibals or sickos that tortured people for fun.

The group of boys noticed her awakening, and their harsh whispers rose to excited chatter. They were looking around for somebody, Faith noticed, and felt her heart speed up. Was this the leader that weird blond boy was talking about? She tried counting again, staring with unseeing eyes, trying to think of anything else but her fear. _One, two, three, four, five, six, seven. One, two, three-_ She was stopped abruptly when she saw a pair of dirty boots drop in front of her, as if by magic.

Faith was still on her side, her hands and ankles beginning to feel sore from the scratchy ropes. She wanted to look up to see who the pair of boots belonged to, but she was too afraid. So she continued to stare ahead, counting to herself, trying so hard not to show any emotion.

A face appeared right in front of her own, startling her from her thoughts. It was a boy's face, probably the same age as she was. His icy, blue eyes were narrowed in amusement, and that small, yet full mouth was stretched in a smirk. When she quickly averted her eyes from his gaze, she saw his eyebrow quirk up in amusement out of her peripheral vision. Her breathing increased slightly, and she felt the fire of her panic growing intensely; Faith did not appreciate how close he was to her. The boy seemed to sense that, because he chuckled lowly.

"Well, boys, look who's finally awake. Our unexpected visitor," the boy yelled out to the others, making her flinch. Everything still sounded too loud for her ears. The boys raucous laughter boomed painfully, feeling like it was echoing in her head. The teen in front of Faith turned his attention back to her, and was studying her curiously. She didn't like that; she'd always hated being the center of attention. Yet this boy seemed to crave it, perhaps even required it to survive.

Faith struggled with her bonds again, wanting to get as far away from him as possible. The boy noticed and chuckled again, pushing his face even closer to hers, making the flames in her body roar. She tried counting again, but nothing was helping. This was just all too much. She should be back at home, doing her homework with Teddy, not being bothered by a bunch of weird boys. The next words he spoke made goosebumps appear on her skin.

"I'll get rid of those if you cooperate with me," and there was that stupid smirk again. She noticed his voice had a strange accent to it, like a character from a movie. _Who the hell do you think you are? Fuck off._ Faith spat mentally at him, yet her face remained blank. He continued to stare at her, practically burning holes into her skin, before he spoke again.

"She is something else, Felix, I'll give you that," he spoke to somebody behind him, somebody Faith couldn't see, seeing as her face was full of him. _The hell kind of name is Felix? Isn't that a comic book character?_ Faith continued to try and move her arms and ankles, hoping to loosen the knots, but nothing was working.

"You might as well stop struggling, sweetheart, those ropes aren't going anywhere without my help," he sneered at Faith. The tone in his voice pissed her off; it was demeaning, and she felt like she was back at home being bothered by Chris and his stupid cronies.

The boy in front of her got up, and began to walk around her slowly, his hands behind his back. _What a drama queen._ Faith thought to herself, and suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. She got the sense this guy liked to put on a show.

With that weirdo out of her face, she could finally look around a bit, and she almost puked. All she saw was boys staring intently at her, not uttering a sound. She even noticed that blond boy who had knocked her out with his club. _You stupid blond asshole._ She narrowed her eyes at him, and he looked away guiltily. _That's right, you'd better feel bad about that_. Faith winced again as she tried to move her head. She heard a voice right in her ear that made her heart skip a beat.

"I've heard a lot about you. My shadow seems to think that something is quite special about you, and Felix told me a dirty little secret about you," he whispered in her ear. She could feel his warm breath on her skin, and a blush rose to her cheeks. _Too close. Too close. Too close. Too close._ Faith chanted in her mind, repeating the words as they spun around her brain, consuming her.

"Tell the others what you told me, Felix," the teen hissed in her ear again, causing her to flinch. Even though he spoke quietly, everybody could hear what he was saying. The forest around them was ominously quiet, not even a leaf rustling. The boys around them watched with bated breath, not even daring to exhale, less they miss something.

"She can do magic," the blond boy drawled. _Of course his name is Felix_. _Stupid. _Faith thought bitterly, still angry that the boy was breathing down her neck, and frustrated that her hand and feet were still tied. She screwed her eyes shut, wishing more than anything that her hands were free. Then maybe she wouldn't feel so trapped and pathetic.

Faith heard a gasp shudder through the crowd of boys around her, and her eyes flew open, looking down at her hands. The ropes were gone. _Gone...like magic_. Her eyes widened and she scrambled to the tree nearest to her, pressing her back to it, and putting some distance between her and those boys. Her chest was heaving, and that prickling sensation was back again. Turning her eyes to the boy who was still on the ground where her body had been, Faith took in his appearance.

Judging by the length of his legs, he was a tall boy, though he was currently kneeling on the ground, and his clothes seemed mismatched, as if they were random pieces of fabric stitched together. A dagger hung by his side on this belt, hugging against his hip threateningly. The boy had broad shoulders, as well, something that made Faith's breath catch in her throat. He would've been very attractive, had he not seemed so menacing. Okay he was still really attractive, even though he was very menacing. The boy had short and brown hair, ending just above his ears, curling slightly upwards. He had impressive facial structure as well, and she noticed his jaw had tightened. When she flicked her green eyes to his blue ones, her legs trembled slightly; there was an unreadable expression in his eyes, something that made her even more uneasy.

The surly teen slowly rose from the ground, never taking his eyes off of her. Then he did something that startled Faith; he laughed. A booming, cold laughter it was. The rest of the boys starting chuckling softly, unsure why their leader was laughing, but afraid not to do so with him.

"Well look at that, boys. She decided to give us an example. You're not at all what I expected you to be," the boy said, walking slowly towards her, the smirk returning to his features. He stopped several feet away from her, crossing his arms over his chest.

"What's your name?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow again. _What is it with him and those eyebrows. _Faith thought curiously. Yet she didn't utter a sound, her panic rendering her mute. He smirked again and took a step closer, closing the distance between them, making her heart rate speed impossibly. He put a hand on either side of her head and leaned in close.

"I guess I'll go first, then. My name is Peter Pan, and you're in Neverland," If he was smirking anymore his face probably would have torn in half. _Oh god, this guy seriously thinks he's Peter Pan? What the hell did I get myself into?_ Yet still, she couldn't speak, her throat unwilling to cooperate with her brain.

"Still not talking, huh? What can I do to change that?" Peter's voice was barely above a whisper now, and he slowly reached up a hand to caress her cheek. Fire exploded through her body, coursing through her veins, and she could feel energy shooting from her skin. The yellow light returned and it jolted through Peter, causing him to fly back a few feet. It caught him by surprise, but he was somehow able to land on his feet gracefully, a look of wonder in his eyes now. The "Lost Boys" didn't dare say a word, and they all looked frightened for her.

_Oh shit, I'm done for now_. Faith thought nervously. She hadn't even tried to hurt him, she'd just reacted. His touch had been soothing almost, even if his eyes were dancing maliciously. Faith didn't want to admit it, but she had liked it; it made her feel tingly and warm. But it scared her too. Nobody had ever touched her like that. All the boys at school acted like she hadn't existed, and sometimes she wished she really hadn't.

Faith grimaced, and looked up, ready to be slapped or worse. Peter still hadn't moved from his spot, but slowly he began to grin. Then he started laughing. The other boys joined in nervously, not really seeing what was so funny. She _had_ just used magic on him. _He's cute when he laughs_, she thought unexpectedly, and her eyes widened. _Wait, did I really just think that? He's a psychopath who thinks he's a fairy tale character. _Peter Pan spoke again, rousing her from her confusing train of thought.

"I quite like you," he said, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. "I think we'll keep you here. Having a girl like you here will be a nice change. You did, however, try to hurt me, and that cannot happen again," Here he smirked again, (_Does he know how to use any other facial expression?_) and he turned around, facing the gathering of boys.

"Why don't we show this lovely girl what happens when you go against Peter Pan!" he shouted, throwing his hands in the air. The boys roared in approval, and Peter nodded to Felix who stood and approached the lanky teen.

"Since you won the game, Felix, you get the honors of dealing with my shadow," Peter gestured towards a log in the corner of the clearing where Faith had failed to look. There it was, the thing that had brought her to this wretched island. It seemed to be frozen to the log, its purple eyes staring daggers at Peter. If looks could kill, they'd all be digging a grave for the boy by now.

Peter, however, ignored the glare it was giving him, and with a flick of his hand, brought the dark being forward, until it was next to him and Felix. It must have been under some sort of spell; the shadow wasn't even able to struggle, it could only shoot daggers at the two boys ahead. If it had looked at Faith like that, she would have peed her pants, most likely.

"A torch, if you would," Peter commanded, and one of the boys around the fire scrambled forward with a stick with its top bound in a soaked rag. He bowed slightly as he handed Peter the torch, and hurried back to his place. Peter nodded his head slightly, and turned to Felix, handing it to the blond boy.

The scarred teen slowly walked toward the fire, pausing in front of it. At a maddeningly sluggish speed, Felix dipped the torch into the flames, pulling it out after a few seconds with flames licking hungrily at its tip. _What the hell are they planning to do with a torch? You can't burn a shadow...can you?_ Faith thought to herself.

Peter's grin was positively evil now, as he lifted his hands and slowly unfroze the shadow's top half. Its legs were still frozen solid, yet it turned and writhed frantically, trying to move itself. Another boy scurried forward with a bucket of some sloshing liquid, and stood in front of Pan. He nodded to the boy and in return the boy dumped the bucket's contents onto the shadow. It hissed loudly, it's eyes filled with a cold rage.

"Master, you don't need to do this," the shadow growled suddenly, causing Faith to practically jump out of her skin. She was still pressed against a tree, wishing she could disappear. This time, though, nothing happened, no matter how hard she wished it. She supposed it was because her mind was too busy racing a mile a minute.

"Oh, but I do. Even if you did bring us a fantastic new addition to this island," here he gestured to Faith, winking at her, making her insides twist, "you still defied my orders by bringing a girl here. And you must pay that price."

His shadow was writhing furiously now, but to no avail. Whatever Peter had done to him had caused his legs to be less than useless. During all the fuss, Felix had appeared beside his leader again, torch ready and in hand.

"Whenever you're ready, Felix," Pan instructed him, stepping back, and crossing his arms over his chest. At this, Felix grinned wickedly and stepped forward. When he reached to touch the torch to the shadow, time seemed to stop. The boys who had been jeering in the background fell silent, and Faith felt her mouth drop open slightly. Even the shadow stopped struggling, and looked at the torch with its bright purple eyes.

All it took was a single touch to the shadow's forearm, and he burst into flames, lighting up the campsite with a deadly orange glow.

* * *

(Felix)

Felix hadn't felt this exhilarated in a long time. The boys were cheering and looking at him in awe, impressed with his stoic manner, and respecting him for being able to carry out such a high honor. Peter was looking at him approvingly, which made Felix immensely proud of himself, something he didn't often feel.

When he set the shadow on fire, the feeling was like no other. Before he could stop himself, he grinned viciously and whooped loudly.

Peter's shadow was in an absolute panic by now, screaming and growling, writhing to no avail. The light of the fire was driving it mad, and it struggled pathetically. That's what the light did to a shadow; light made a shadow go insane.

When Peter had tortured his shadow before, Felix had asked his leader afterward why that happened. He remembered Peter looking at him seriously and saying, "Because light is more powerful than any darkness." And he had understood instantly.

Now Felix looked to his leader, and saw a dark look of sadistic satisfaction in his eyes that . That was why Peter Pan was the leader of Neverland. Not only because he was powerful and cunning, but because he was also downright horrifying sometimes.

Looking around at the chaos, Felix smiled slightly. The other Lost Boys had risen their screams to a deafening volume, pumping their fists. Only when he looked at the girl in front of the tree, did his mood dampen. The look in her eyes was one of sheer terror, one that he had seen mirrored in his sister's eyes when his father had entered another of his drunken rages.

The girl had sunk to the ground, hands clamped over her ears, trying to drown out the shadow's screams. Her legs were smeared with dirt, and her lips had gone pale. She looked horrible, if Felix was being quite honest. His heart faltered when he looked in her eyes. Pain and panic swirled amongst them, a few tears even slipping past their green depths.

Felix felt something else he hadn't felt in awhile; sympathy. He didn't want to admit it, but the look in her eyes practically broke his heart, and he just wanted it to go away. Felix much preferred the doe eyed, innocent look on her. This just hit too close to home.

Five minutes had passed, and still the shadow was burning, it's screams becoming louder with every minute that had gone by. The Lost Boys were still shouting enthusiastically, and Pan continued to stand with his arms crossed and an evil look of smugness painted across his features. Felix would have enjoyed himself, too, if he hadn't seen the girl's face. Now he just wanted it all to stop, and that scared Felix more than anything.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, Peter Pan chuckled softly to himself and clicked his fingers, making the fire disappear as if it had never happened. Everything stilled again, not a sound passing through the heated jungle around them.

"I hope you've learned your lesson," Peter said to the shadow, barely audible. Just when the silence seemed to be reaching an intolerable level, Peter waved his hand, and the shadow's legs were unfrozen. Quick as whip, it shot to the darkened sky, without so much as a glance back at the rest of them.

The Lost Boys continued to stay silent as their leader walked over to the huddled girl, and knelt down before her. He said something to her that no one seemed to hear, and quickly rose again, turning around with a triumphant smile.

"Now that we've had a bit of fun, boys. Let us celebrate our new friend's arrival!" Peter boomed loudly. All the boys cheered, all except Felix, who continued to look at the girl with pity filled eyes.

* * *

~Faith~

Faith couldn't help it; as soon as the flames leapt on the shadow's body, and its gravelly bellows filled the air, she lost it. The cool she had been trying to keep was thrown out the window, placed instead by panicked screams. The sounds coming from the dark figure were intolerable to her; she hated to watch _anyone_ suffer. It didn't matter if they were practically a saint, or a malicious demon, Faith couldn't handle a soul in anguish.

Her legs grew weak underneath her, and she slid slowly to the ground, still screaming. Clapping her hands to her ears couldn't even deafen the shrieking, nothing could. It was overwhelming, and Faith felt like she was going to faint. She couldn't even stop the tears from escaping her eyes, hard as she tried to remain brave. Every inch of her skin felt like it was in flames like the shadow's dark skin was.

It seemed to last forever, the boys practically roaring, and the shadow howling in a crazed rage. Then all of the sudden, it stopped. Peter had clicked his fingers, and the flames had disappeared. Poof. Gone. Like they had never existed in the first place. She stared in awe, not hearing his taunting words as he finally freed the shadow from it's magical prison. Faith continued to stare at him, even after the shadow had flew off. Slowly, he turned to her, smiling darkly.

Leisurely Peter walked towards her, squatting when he was close enough to have his breath mingle with her own. When he spoke, it startled her.

"And that, my girl, is why you do _not_ cross me," he muttered darkly, the look in his eyes oddly calm. He reached out and slowly touched her cheek again, only getting shocked slightly as he scooped one of her tears onto his finger and brought it to his lips. His icy blue eyes never left her face as his tongue darted out to taste the salty liquid, and he smiled triumphantly when she blushed again.

When he turned around and walked to the other boys, Faith stared unseeing, not quite comprehending what had just happened. He seemed to be shouting something, but she didn't hear anything he said. Nothing but the panicked buzz in her mind.

Looking up as if in a daze, she saw Peter take out what seemed to be a flute from his belt and bring it to his lips. He began to play a mournful song, a song so heartbreaking, Faith could feel tears in her eyes again. Yet for some reason, the boys around the fire began to dance around as if they were hearing upbeat swing music.

Shouting and dancing, they revolved around the fire, while Peter Pan played his flute, sitting down on a log behind him, his eyes glinting. He glanced over at Faith, as if expecting her to join the others, but she didn't. She backed slowly away to the corner of the campsite, not even bothering to escape. She knew it wouldn't do her any good now, not in the state she was in, and the scene she had just witnessed. Faith just hugged her knees to her chest and rocked back and forth, trying to tame the fire underneath her skin. Peter seemed disappointed that she hadn't joined, but continued to play his depressing song on the wooden flute of his.

Hours passed, and still the boys danced and shouted, long after Peter had stopped playing. Some of them plopped down on the logs surrounding the fires, enchanted smiles spreading lazily over their faces. Peter watched on approvingly, sometimes meeting Faith's gaze, and she would avert her eyes quickly, not before catching the smirk form on his face.

The only "Lost Boy" who hadn't joined on the celebration was the scarred, blond boy, Felix. He sat on the edge of a log near the fire, sharpening some arrows with a troubled look on his face. Sometimes Faith caught him staring at her with pity in his eyes, but when their gaze met, they both looked away as fast as they could. _Damn that blond bastard. And his fucking pity_. Faith thought bitterly to herself, and turned her back on the festivities, curling on the ground.

The night continued to wear on, boys still shouting and dancing, others sitting around the fire and talking excitedly to each other. Nobody paid a bit of attention to Faith, and she was just fine with that. She noticed, though, that the heat of the day was wearing off, and she was starting to get cold. Faith shivered slightly, wishing she had brought a sweater with her, and then quickly remembered she had no choice in the matter of actually coming to said "Neverland". She laid down on her side, and drew her knees to her chest, trying to create some warmth, without success.

Her body stiffened when she heard a shuffling from somewhere behind her. Faith tensed expected to hear Peter's smug voice in her ear, instead feeling something being dropped on top of her. "Here," she heard a slow voice say. Faith jumped slightly, looking up to see what who it was. First she saw the blond boy, Felix, staring down at her with a strange look in his eyes. Then she noticed he wasn't wearing his cloak anymore; that's what he had dropped on her.

"Thank you," she whispered, the first words she had said on the island. That seemed to shock the both of them, because Felix nodded slightly and promptly left, while Faith snuggled into the woodsy smelling cloak, trying to figure out what the hell happened.

Her train of thought didn't get very far, however, when she noticed how thick and warm the cloak was, and felt her eyelids becoming heavy. Faith drifted off to sleep with the sound of hooting boys, and a crackling fire echoing in her ears.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hey guys! Thanks for being patient. I feel really bad about not updating yesterday so today you'll get a double update! :) Here's chapter 5 and chapter 6 will be coming later tonight! Thanks again for all the reviews, follows, and favorites. Please continue to let me know what you think!**

-Chapter 5-

-Peter-

Watching the entire exchange from the shadows of the forest, Peter struggled to decide how he felt about it. He was still upset that the girl hadn't fallen under the spell of his flute. Very few were able to resist it, and those few were either very secure in their lives (rare) or very powerful (even more rare).

He thought back to their exchange earlier, when he had first touched her. He had only had a few seconds, but he noticed that her skin had been impossibly smooth, and deep down, Peter thought her smattering of freckles was adorable (very deep down, he would _never_ admit that out loud). Then came the magic. He couldn't explain the feeling as it had flowed through his body; he just knew he could _feel_ the power behind it.

The only thing that eased his trepidation, was the fact that she didn't seem to know how to control it. When she had shocked Peter, she seemed just as surprised as he did, and Felix had told him the same of his separate encounter with her. One thing he knew for certain however, this magical girl could either be very good for Neverland, or very, very bad.

Peter was roused from his thoughts as he saw Felix approach the girl, who was curled on her side shivering. He couldn't believe his eyes when his gruff second-in-command gave up his cloak for her, and she actually thanked him. Jealousy surged through his body, and he clenched his fists. The quiet girl hadn't said a word to _him_, Peter Pan, but she spoke to his secondary.

Why was he even jealous? He didn't even _know_ her. This girl had just shown up on his island, and he was already confused and angry. Yet he couldn't shake the green envious monster in his heart, as she snuggled up in Felix's cloak. _That should be my cloak_. Peter thought bitterly before he could stop himself.

Back and forth his mind went, from jealousy to confusion and eventually to frustration. The trees blew every which way, as if unsure of where they wanted to sway, and clouds covered the bright moon high in the sky. He continued to watch the sleeping girl, snuggled in his best friend's cloak blanket, and muttering softly in her sleep, her plump lips quivering slightly.

There was that feeling again; the urge to press his lips to hers, to explore her soft mouth with his tongue. He shook his head in irritation. _What the fuck is wrong with you, Peter. Get a grip, she's just a girl_. He scolded himself.

Peter forced himself to turn away, and walked to his tree house, stepping between the figures of the Lost Boys who were too enchanted to make it back to their huts. He climbed the knotted old tree, feeling the familiar bark underneath his fingers. With a frustrated sigh, he pushed aside the curtain to the entrance of his domain, and threw himself onto the small cot. It took a few hours, but he finally drifted to sleep, with thoughts of the auburn-haired beauty running through his mind.

* * *

~Faith~

The morning sunlight streamed through the trees, making Faith groan slightly. Everything still seemed a bit too bright, her head throbbing dully as she shifted away from the light. Yawning loudly, Faith slowly opened her eyes, and was startled to find a face right next to hers. The face scrambled backward, revealing itself to be a young boy, probably around Teddy's age. Faith crawled back as well, a little annoyed to have had her personal space invaded again. _What is it with the boys on this damn island? Have they no boundaries?!_

She and the young boy stared curiously at each other, both too nervous to say the first words. After a few awkward moments, the boy cleared his throat and looked down at his feet.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you," he said quietly. Faith's expression softened when he looked up at her again with those wide brown eyes.

"It's just...you were talking in your sleep. I thought you were having a bad dream." He twiddled his thumbs self-consciously as he continued again, "I know _I_ don't like having nightmares, so I wanted to make sure you were okay." The young boy looked up at her again, seeming so sad in that moment, and a pang of sympathy went through her.

"Thank you, that's very kind of you." Faith replied softly. Normally she wouldn't have said anything, but he reminded her so much of Teddy, she felt more comfortable speaking with him than say, Peter. The boy smiled at her, and sat cross-legged in front of her, not quite close enough to make her nervous, but still not far enough away for her liking.

"_Were_ you having a nightmare?" he asked her, cocking his head to the side. The gesture made Faith smile a little before answering.

"No," she said simply.

"Oh, that's good," the boy countered with a relieved grin. "What's your name?" he piped up suddenly, startling her. She waited a few moments, trying to decide if she should tell him.

"...Faith," she finally answered, deeming there was probably no harm in revealing it to the young boy.

"That's a good name. Mine is Nibs," he told her with shining eyes. Noticing that she had frowned he added, "Oh don't worry, it's just a nickname."

The two were interrupted from their conversation when they heard a clanging bell coming from the other side of the camp. Nibs jumped to his feet suddenly, looking excited.

"Come on, Faith, breakfast is ready!" the young boy urged. He held his hand out to her and she just looked at it, afraid to touch him lest she emit magic again. Hesitantly she took his small hand in hers, only causing a marginal buzz. Nibs didn't seem to notice however as he hauled her to her feet and began dragging her towards the sound of the bell.

The boys were all gathered around a long oak table, each sitting down in front of empty bowls, looking eagerly towards the head of the table. The seat at the front was empty, but the boys seemed to be waiting for someone to fill it. Faith didn't even have to guess whose seat it was.

Sure enough, the lanky Peter Pan came lolling through the tree line, smirking at the group of Lost Boys. He sat down in the seat, and bid a good morning to the boys, who promptly answered him. When their leader had taken his seat, a serving boy appeared and began to ladle what appeared to be helpings of oatmeal in to them.

Nibs had taken his seat near the end of the table, leaving Faith standing off to the side awkwardly. As she went to go sit on a log by the fire, she heard someone clear their throat.

"There's an open seat here," the voice drawled. Turning around she saw a pair of cold blue eyes looking at her expectantly, belonging to none other than Peter Pan. There was an open seat to his right, Felix sitting in the spot across from it.

"Since you are a newcomer to this island, you can sit in the seat of honor, right next to Felix and I," Peter said, gesturing to said spot. When she didn't move, Peter narrowed his eyes.

"I said, _sit_," he commanded coldly, causing a heat to rush to the surface of her skin. Faith counted the steps toward him, sitting down obediently next to him. A smile stretched across his face when she complied to his order, and he nodded his head at the serving boy, who ladled the thick oatmeal into the bowl in front of her.

Faith took the wooden spoon in her hand and cautiously brought the oatmeal to her lips. It wasn't too bad; a little lumpy but she couldn't complain, not having eaten since she arrived in Neverland. _Or wherever the hell this place is_. She noted bitterly in her mind. The boys around her chattered mindlessly, except Felix (who appeared to be avoiding her gaze) and Peter (who was desperately trying to catch her gaze).

"So, Faith, huh? That's a very pretty name," she heard Peter mutter. She looked at him with wide eyes and he chuckled.

"I'm a very good listener, Faith," he explained. _You mean you're an eavesdropper._ She thought as she continued to count the chewing of her breakfast. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him frown when at her silence.

"Did you sleep well last night? I saw Felix had made you more...comfortable," Peter said, rolling his tongue over the last word as if in annoyance. Faith blushed lightly, looking back down at her oatmeal. Was she delusional, or did she sense a bit of jealousy in his tone?

"She seemed cold," Felix shrugged, though she could tell he was embarrassed as well. Apparently, this blond boy wasn't normally keen on doing favors for others.

"Hmm, you're probably right, Felix. Our Faith isn't exactly dressed in the proper attire for Neverland," Peter said, and she heard him click his fingers. She gasped when she looked down and noticed he had changed her clothes. Instead of the soft gray t-shirt and pajama shorts, Faith was now dressed in similar clothing to the rest of the boys; a green and brown tunic (having the same look as being stitched from random clothing) with a belt settled around her waist and slim fitting pants that ended just above her knees. A thick brown cloak (smaller than Felix's had been) was resting on her shoulders, and a pair of brown moccasins fit around her feet.

"Is that better?" Peter asked her with a smirk on his face. She looked up and nodded at him, turning back to her oatmeal with a blush still gracing her features. Faith could feel Peter's eyes burning holes into her skin, but she ignored him and continued to eat.

When everybody was done eating their breakfast, Peter waved his hand, the dishes now in a pile near the end of the table. He rose and stretched, the others following suit. The boys scattered around the camp, some of them sitting around the flameless fire pit and chatting, others taking out their swords and mock sparring. Faith looked down at her own belt in curiosity, noting that Peter had failed to give her a weapon.

"Never arm an untrained solider," she heard a voice close behind her, and she involuntarily flinched, knowing instantly whose smug voice it was. He was now close enough that the back of her hair was stirring softly from his breath.

"You know the more you refuse to talk to me, the more I want to her your voice. I want to know what's going on in that pretty little head of yours," he practically purred in her ears, making a shudder go down her spine. Fire was coursing through her veins, and she began to panic at his proximity. _Maybe he needs a refresher course in personal space_. Faith thought, trying to count her quickened breaths, hoping to ease her nerves. Peter chuckled before he stepped away from her and addressed the camp.

"Who's in the mood for a game now, lads?" Peter shouted, a chorus of approvals meeting Faith's ears.

"Perfect! Each of you gets a weapon, and the last one standing wins," he explained briefly, thoughtfully adding, "and the first to go down has to do the dishes." The boys around her scrambled to their feet, each finding a weapon and placing themselves on opposite ends of the campsite.

_That's it? Last one standing wins?_ Faith thought. She didn't expect herself to be included, until Peter handed her a thin, yet strong looking sword. A new wave of panic ran through her, as she noted how sharp the silver weapon looked.

"I thought you never armed an untrained soldier," Faith squeaked before she could stop herself. Peter smiled maliciously, stepping closer into her space and pulling his own blade from his belt.

"No time but the present, my dear Faith," he chuckled before disappearing before her eyes and reappearing at the edge of the camp. Faith was now the only one still standing in the middle, and all eyes were expectantly trained on her.

"We're all waiting on you, sweetheart," Peter taunted, twirling his weapon in his hands. Faith gritted her teeth and stalked to the a tree near the perimeter and turned around, holding her sword before her awkwardly. Silence ensued for several minutes, the tension reaching an unbearable crescendo.

"Begin!" Peter shouted suddenly, and the boys rushed forward madly, beginning to fight each other savagely. Faith walked forward unsure, taking in the brutal sights around her. Blood was already being drawn, and the first boy, a small boy of ten, had already fell to the ground in a weeping mess. She saw Felix at one end of the clearing showing no mercy with that dreadful looking club of his, and Peter at the other, trading blows with a boy near his age. One teen even sat near the edge, shooting off arrows at a rapid pace that made Faith's head spin.

She was roused from her dazed thoughts, when a large boy approached her with a sword poised in his hands, grinning evilly. He swung with all his might, Faith barely jumping out of the way in time. He stepped forward and jabbed at her again, and this time Faith swung her blade up to block him. The swords collided harshly, and a ringing noise sounded throughout the camp. When the boy attacked again, she leapt away and quickly countered with an attack of her own, managing to land a cut on his arm, making him cry out.

The boys eyes flashed dangerously now, and he charged at her in a blind rage. She deftly stepped out of the way and stuck her leg out, his legs crumpling underneath him as he tripped over her. Faith stood, breathing heavily and heart pounding, and watched as the boy looked up at her in amazement, and he slowly crawled off, never taking his eyes from her. She looked up to see Peter watching her as well, and she could have sworn she saw a flash of respect in his eyes before he was distracted by another fighting boy.

Faith continued to battle her way through the Lost Boys, counting each of her swings. Her fast reflexes and smart counterattacks seem to throw them off, and each was sent crawling to the treeline. They started to realize she wasn't a "weak little girl" as they had previously thought, but a formidable foe in the battlefield.

Finally it was just Faith, Felix, Peter, and the boy with the bow. Peter rushed at the boy, deflecting his arrows with his blade and tossing them aside with a flick of the wrist. When the boy had run out of arrows, he brandished a small blade from his belt. Peter snarled and the boy stopped cold.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Thomas? I said everybody gets _a_ weapon. A single weapon. You know what happens to cheaters," Peter threatened and advanced as the boy shrank against a tree.

Faith didn't get a chance to see what happened to cheaters, because at that moment she saw Felix approaching her from the corner of her eye. She turned to face him, and they stood still for a moment, each squaring off and waiting for the other to make the first move.

"Don't think I'll go easy on you, girl, just because I lent you my cloak," Felix drawled, and if Faith didn't know any better, she would have thought he was stalling.

"I wouldn't want you to," she replied evenly, and she rushed forward, bringing her sword down.

Felix had barely enough time to register what happened before he brought his club in between them, a sickening crack thudding through his weapon. With a chill, Faith heard the boy who she presumed to be called Thomas crying out in pain. Felix used this distraction to swing again, and Faith ducked just in time. She spun to the left as she ducked, hoping to catch him off guard on his weaker side. Her sword nicked his upper arm, and he hissed in surprise.

Faith darted forward with a flurry of attacks, and Felix struggled to fend off her blows with his club. _One, two, three. Four, five, six. Seven_. Each time she counted to seven, she spun to her left, and tried to catch his arm again. He was starting to get tired, she noticed. His blocking was getting sloppy, and he was breathing hard by now. Using this to her advantage, she sprang forward with a final attack, bringing down her sword with a huge amount of strength that she chalked up to adrenaline.

With a sickening crack, Felix's giant club broke in two, and he stared in astonishment. The clearing had grown very quiet by now, and all eyes were on the two of them. Felix smiled (and not a cruel or evil smile, but a genuine one) and bowed slightly, slowly backing away to sit with the rest of the boys.

Faith grinned triumphantly and turned around, ready to face the next opponent. With a pit in her stomach, she realized the only one left standing was Peter. Thomas was in a crumpled heap, a small trickle of blood leaking to the ground in front of him. Faith felt a gasp escape her lips, which Peter noticed with a cruel smile.

"Oh don't worry about Thomas, he'll be fine. I'd be more worried about yourself," he taunted, taking a step towards her. She held her ground and raised her head defiantly, though her heart was beating madly, and a tingling heat spread throughout her.

"You're very fast, and very smart, Faith, I'll give you that." Peter pointed out, tilting his head to the side as he continued. "But there's another thing you are, darling." And here, Peter vanished in thin air, making Faith gasp again. She looked from side to side wildly, trying to see where he went.

"You, my dear, are very, very predictable," she heard him murmur in her ear. Startled, she swung her sword, trying to turn with it, but Peter caught her wrist and gave it sharp twist. Faith cried out in pain. Her back still to him, she stomped on his foot, earning a pained groan from him, and he released his hold on her. She went to swirl around on him again, but, taking a move out of her own book, stuck his foot out between her legs, and down she went with a strangled yell.

The camp was deadly silent again, the only sound being Faith's harsh breathing. She glared up at the sky, Peter's face popping in front of her own, grinning proudly. She wanted more than anything to bash her skull against his, but she had an idea he wouldn't take to kindly to that, and neither would her still tender head. He took his blade (the blade he hadn't even had to use on her, she noted in annoyance) and brought it to her neck, teasing it lightly across her skin. She felt goosebumps rise on her flesh, and his eyes lit up as he noticed it.

"Get used to this, Faith. Peter Pan _always_ wins," he whispered, retracting his blade from her neck, and offering a hand to her.

_Quit referring to yourself in third person, you dick. _Faith thought angrily, and ignoring his hand, stood up, dusted herself off slightly, and walked away to the outskirts of the camps, but not before catching his wicked smirk.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Here is Chapter 6, as promised! Please continue to let me know what you guys think. It means a lot to me! And sorry it took so long. I was having a bit of a writer's block ;)**

-Chapter 6-

(Felix)

The rest of the day passed by slowly. The Lost Boys were scattered about the camp, each licking their respective wounds. Felix sat by himself on a log, holding his broken club. Hours had passed and still he was astonished. There were very few who had made it that far in Pan's little game, and even fewer who had actually beat Felix. Usually he and Peter were the last two left, and they would battle to their hearts content, until Peter eventually bested him.

This time, though, Felix had been struck down. By a newcomer; a _female_ newcomer. She had outsmarted him, and he still wasn't sure what to think. Felix's emotions were stuck somewhere between deep admiration and petty irritation.

As Felix sat and stewed, not even daring to look in her direction, Peter appeared by his side, and sat down. When he first came to the island, Peter's sudden reappearances scared the shit out of Felix, but now he barely flicked his eyes over to the teen beside him.

"How's your arm?" Peter asked nonchalantly.

Felix just grunted in response. It wasn't bothering him, not as much as Faith's victory against him. His leader responded to that by taking the broken club he was holding and passed a hand over it. The knotted wood mended together again, as if it hadn't just been split in two. Peter passed it back to Felix without saying a word, and he accepted it silently.

That was one of the things Felix appreciated about their friendship; they didn't even have to speak to understand each other. There they sat for a good while, Felix turning the club in his hands absentmindedly, Peter staring off into the distance.

"Felix, have you ever liked a girl," Peter spoke suddenly, startling Felix out of his emotional trance. He looked at the blue-eyed teen, trying to decide if he was joking or not. Peter seemed dead serious, though.

"I've liked plenty of girls, Peter," he answered slowly, unsure of what Peter was getting at.

"No that's not what I mean," Peter snapped, pinching the bridge of his nose before continuing. "I mean have you ever _liked_ a girl."

Felix smirked slightly, finally understanding what his friend was trying to get at. What he didn't understand was _why_ Peter was asking him that.

"Well...there was this one girl," Felix admitted. That had been a long time ago, back before his days in Neverland. It seemed ages ago. His friend looked at him and paused, as if unsure of how to continue.

"What did that feel like, Felix?" he heard Peter whisper, and it was a long time before Felix answered him.

"It was a strange feeling for me. I couldn't stop thinking of her, and I didn't _want_ to stop thinking of her. I wanted to hear her voice all the time, and see her smile just for me. I wanted to watch the sunset with her, hold her, never let her go," Felix said slowly, becoming lost in his memories of his past.

"What happened?" Peter inquired, looking at him with an unreadable emotion in his eyes. Felix sighed bitterly, before chuckling without a single trace of humor.

"She fucked my dad instead," Felix admitted. He had harbored a lot of anger over the years, some at the girl, most of it towards his asshole father, but now it was just a thing of the past. Sometimes he didn't even feel it had happened, because so much time had stretched from then to now. It was part of another life, one that he would never have to visit again.

"Well, Felix, that's why I don't usually allow girls on this island," Peter smirked, patting him slightly on the back.

"Except her," Felix smiled, gesturing over to Faith, who was sitting on the opposite end of the camp, ignoring everybody around her. She had a small twig in her hand, and appeared to be tracing designs in the dirt before her.

"What made her so different, Peter?" Felix asked after awhile, finally having worked the courage to ask his leader.

"I'm not sure, Felix. There's just something exciting about her. Something I can't quite explain," Peter replied, staring at Faith with his head resting in his hands. Felix decided not to press the matter further. His friend seemed just as confused as he did about the whole situation. After an hour of silence had passed between the two, Peter abruptly got up and stalked towards Faith, without a glance back at his second-in-command.

Felix sighed, wondering what was going on in Peter's mind. Felix saw how he looked at Faith when he didn't think anyone was looking. Something was going on, and he hoped it wouldn't end up hurting either of them in the end.

* * *

~Faith~

Faith couldn't believe it; who did that guy think he was? First he claims to be Peter Pan, going as far as to call this island "Neverland." Then, he orders her around like he owns the damn place, and all of these delusional "Lost Boys" just followed along with his ruse. _This place is seriously fucked up_. Faith though to herself in a rage, and it was all she could do to keep from screaming in frustration.

The more she thought about it, the more worked up she became, her chest rising and falling as her breathing picked up. Her skin felt positively on fire by now, and her fingers flexed, trying to find an outlet for this pent-up energy.

Closing her eyes, Faith began to count under her breath, feeling the deliciously familiar numbers roll softly off her tongue. They had always been a comfort to Faith in her times of need. More than anything, she also felt the need to draw right now; channeling her panic and frustration into artistic strokes.

Faith looked around and found a small twig to her left, similar in size to one of her drawing pencils. She swept her hand across the surface of the dirt in front of her and began to draw. Slowly the tension in her neck eased, and her heart rate slowed. She drew the fantastic boy from the fairy tales she so loved, his ever present (yet kindly mischievous) smirk adorning his face, floating alongside his best friend, Tinkerbell.

"Who is that you're drawing?" she heard behind her, and her relaxed mood vanished. There was that stupid smug smile in his voice. She sniffed slightly before continuing to draw.

"Peter Pan," she answered simply, ignoring his scoff of derision.

"That looks nothing like me," he replied, sitting down beside her on the ground, causing her to tense.

"I meant the _real_ Peter Pan," Faith said, gritting her teeth.

"You don't think _I'm _the real Peter Pan?" the teen asked, a slight tone of amusement creeping in his voice.

"Hardly," she scoffed. A few minutes of silence ensued, Faith drawing, and Peter watching. Without warning, Peter grabbed her wrist, stopping her movements. Faith gasped, and felt her heart begin to pound again. Her skin heated and tingled underneath his touch. She was shocking him slightly with her magic, but he wouldn't let go this time.

"Why not?" Peter inquired curiously, still holding her wrist sharply. Faith struggled to maintain her composure.

"Because the _real_ Peter Pan isn't an egotistical maniac who brings innocent people to his island. The _real_ Peter Pan would never force his Lost Boys to fight each other like that. The _real_ Peter Pan certainly wouldn't threaten anybody, and make them feel stupid," Faith forced out through her set jaw. When she made to snap her wrist away this time, he let her, and she started drawing again. A few minutes of silence followed her outburst.

"I make you feel stupid?" the boy asked softly, catching her off guard. _Boy, this kid sure has massive mood swings._

"Sometimes," she admitted quietly, still not meeting his gaze. Faith tried to focus on sweeping the small stick against the dirt, detailing the figure before her, but Peter's close proximity was still making her very nervous.

"This fairy tale in your world sure got a lot wrong about me," Peter chuckled again, after a lull in the conversation they were having. _What does he mean _my _world?_ When Faith continue to ignore him, he laughed again, shifting closer to her, making her breath catch in her throat. Their knees were practically touching now, and it was as though an electric current was passing through the space between their skin.

"What can I do to make you see the truth, dear Faith? I've already shown you I can do magic, and you can do it as well. I'm even separated from my shadow, just like your precious fairy tale," he said. Faith glanced over at him and almost choked on her spit. He was right; he _didn't_ have a shadow. _It has to be an optical illusion, a trick of the light_. Faith tried reasoning with herself. She _refused _to believe that this sadistic teenager was her childhood hero in the flesh.

"You're a smart girl, Faith." Peter continued, and she noticed in annoyance that every time he said her name, her heart fluttered. "You can put two and two together. Yet it's almost as if you don't_ want _to believe it's true. What are you scared of, Faith?" His voice was ridiculously close now, and when she turned to face him, Faith almost knocked heads with him. His sharp blue eyes were staring into hers, and his eyes flickered briefly to her lips. _He's just trying to get a reaction out of you, Faith. Don't give in!_ She thought, turning her head back to her drawing and trying to appear uninterested in what he was saying, earning another laugh from Peter.

"I think I know. You're scared to admit that your childhood hero isn't everything you thought he'd be. Deep down, you know I'm telling the truth and that terrifies you. It's just another reminder that life is cruel and unjust, and nothing goes the way we want it to, no matter where you are. Except on Neverland. Everything _always_ goes my way, Faith," his voice was barely above a whisper now, and she would have had to strain to hear him had his lips not been mere inches from her ear. She could feel his warm breath tickling her skin, and she felt an unfamiliar rush of warmth go through her stomach. Faith didn't like that one bit. She hated feeling new things; unpredictable things.

Just as suddenly as his mouth had appeared there, it was gone, and Peter was leaning back on his hands, his legs crossed comfortably. When she looked up at him, she saw that stupid smirk gracing his features, but it didn't quite meet his eyes. There was an unfamiliar emotion clouding his eyes, and she felt uncomfortable under his gaze. She turned back to her drawing again, wishing more than anything he would go away. She hadn't liked what he had to say, but deep down she knew he was telling the truth; she just didn't want to admit it.

And so they stayed like that for quite some time, Faith drawing (and wishing he would leave her alone) and Peter watching (wishing she would pay attention to him). The day wore on, as Faith added new characters to her drawing, until all the familiar characters of the Neverland she knew were smiling back at her from the ground. She smiled back slightly with a pang of sadness. Before she could stop herself, Faith flicked her eyes to Peter's again, and he had a strange smile on his face as well, that unrecognizable look in his eyes again.

When it was dinner time, they all gathered around the table again. This time, it was fish that appeared to have been caught fresh from the ocean, with a side of salted mushrooms. Again, Faith found that the cooking here wasn't half bad. The atmosphere, however, was another story.

The lower half of the table was filled with obnoxiously loud boys, who occasionally threw food at each other, and ate with reckless abandon, their faces covered with food. The head of the table, on the other hand, was outrageously quiet. Faith, Peter, and Felix, avoided each others gaze's, eating silently. Dinner ended again with Peter flicking his hand and magicking the plates to the end of the table.

The sun was low in the sky when dinner ended, painting a glorious sunset across the clouds. Peter snapped his fingers, and a roaring fire appeared in the center of the campsite, causing a murmur of excitement to pass through the boys. He took his flute from his belt and brought it to his lips, playing that mournful song again; the song that brought tears to Faith's eyes. And yet again, the boys hooted and laughed loudly, dancing around the fire without a care in the world.

Faith walked to the spot she had slept near the previous night, sitting down with her back against a tree. She pulled her cloak over her eyes and drew her knees to her chest.

After a few hours of the evening festivities, Faith could feel her eyelids beginning to droop shut, and the struggle to stay awake was too great. She laid down on her side and cuddled underneath her cloak, falling asleep to the soft sounds of Peter's mysterious music.

When Faith awoke in the morning, the sky was pink and the sun had not yet risen. It was silent in the camp, except for the occasional snores coming from the sleeping boys near the dead fire pit. Faith sat up and stretched, feeling stiff after having slept on the ground for two nights in a row. She missed her bed desperately at this point. And she also missed Teddy's excited bouncing waking her up.

Turning her thoughts away from her foster brother (and trying not to cry), Faith got up and wandered over to where she had made her fairy tale mural the other day. She bit the inside of her cheek and let out a frustrated breath, however, when she noticed the dirt had been wiped clean with the footprints of the dancing boys. _Stupid boys and their stupid, dumb dancing_. She thought bitterly, and turned around to go back to her spot, but she stopped when something leaning against a nearby log caught her eye.

Faith shuffled closer, and her heart soared when she realized it was a drawing pad with a pencil perched next to it, much like the one she had had back home. _If home is what you could even call it_. She picked the pad up and flipped it open, noticing a scrawled note on the inside cover.

"_Draw to your heart's content, my dear Faith. Sincerely, the Peter Pan Imposter,_" the note read, and a smile pulled at the corners of her lips. Maybe this delusional weirdo wasn't so bad after all.

* * *

{?}

Peter Pan's shadow had been flying for days in a seething rage. It hated to be punished more than anything, even more than it hated the light. It felt humiliated that Peter had bested it in front of all the Lost Boys, and the new girl it had brought to the island, just for him.

It zoomed around the mountains of Neverland, looking for the hidden cove in the side of the mountain face where it liked to spend most of its time, when it wasn't doing Peter's dirty work. Soon it found the spot, flying in and perching lightly on its feet near the edge of the entrance. It waited patiently for something.

Sure enough, the torches on either side of the wall lit up, and the shadow heard the evil cackling it had barely begun to be accustomed to. A dark figure near the back of the cave smiled at it maliciously.

"_Finally_. I've been waiting here for _ages. _I was beginning to think working with you was a lost cause," the figure sneered at the shadow. It didn't dignify that with a response so the figure continued.

"Did you provide the distraction?"

"Yes, master..." the shadow began, but trailed off, unsure of how to continue.

"_But_...?" the figure prompted impatiently.

"The girl may be more powerful than originally planned," the shadow finished.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" the figure hissed, and the shadow hesitated again, not wanting to anger the figure.

"...The girl is able to practice the magic of the light." the shadow said, and at this the figure flew up in an outrage, growling menacingly.

"I gave you one job! One fucking job! And you managed to screw that up! I swear to all the gods in every realm I will-"

"Wait, master! There is still hope yet! The girl knows not of her abilities. She wasn't aware she could do magic until I brought her to Neverland. And Peter Pan is quite enamored with her," the shadow cut the figure off, earning a deadly glare. There was a tense moment of silence before the figure spoke again.

"Seeing as you've been so cooperative with me, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. But remember your place, _shadow,_" the figure spat venomously. "If you cut me off again, I'll do worse than trap you in the light as your precious Peter did."

Peter's shadow shuddered, not even wanting to know what the figure was capable of. He knew the figure had immense power, and was capable of dark things even Peter could not achieve.

"I want you to keep an eye on, Peter, then. Make sure our little plan works, and Peter is well and distracted," the figure said again, causing the shadow to straighten with respect.

"Yes, my _Queen_," the shadow bowed, before flying off into the dark night, leaving the young woman grinning maliciously on her own.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Thank you guys soo so much for the reviews, follows, and favorites! This means so much to me you have no idea! Sorry it took so long again. I had the idea in my head of how I wanted to chapter to go, but I couldn't figure out how to get there :/ Please continue to let me know what you think!**

-Chapter 7-

~Faith~

_Okay I was wrong. Dead fucking wrong. He's is every bit as bad as I thought he was, _Faith thought to herself as she weaved through the thick jungles, dodging arrows coming from every direction. Today's sadistic game was a game of chase; everyone except for the target was armed with a bow and arrow, and said target had to make it to the beach. The catch? Each person was only armed with five arrows, and the target had to get to the shore without a single injury.

Shockingly enough, Faith had been chosen as the target. So far she was doing very well. She had managed to dodge all of the arrows, and already half of the Lost Boys had run out. Most of the boys were terrible shots anyway, which Faith was grateful for. The only majorly exceptional shooter was Thomas, who was still sulking about camp in embarrassment, with the word "CHEAT" carved into his forehead. Faith had made a mental note to never, ever exploit Peter's rules.

Faith practically flew along the ground, she was running so fast. The sounds of the other boys crashing somewhere behind her only spurred her on. Arrows whizzed past her, some so close she could hear them whistling by her ears. She had no idea if she was even close to the shore yet, seeing as she hadn't really had any time to explore Neverland. Faith had the idea that she would need Peter's permission for that, and he probably wouldn't be to keen on giving it. _Control freak_.

The only boys she was really worried about catching her were Felix and Peter. They had both nearly taken her out within the first five minutes, and from then on she tried to keep track of how many arrows each boy had shot. Faith furiously counted her steps, throwing her head back every so often to see if she was being followed. Well, she _knew_ she was being followed, it was just a matter of how close they were.

Another arrow flew past her ear, sticking harshly into the tree she had just run by. Whipping her head back, she saw a blond head disappearing into the thicket, chuckling as he did so. _Four. That was his fourth arrow._ Faith noted. She just had to avoid him one more time, then she'd only have to deal with Peter, which was much easier said than done.

Faith was roused from her thoughts when she heard the twang of a bow string, and wildly she looked around to pinpoint it. Her heart dropped when she realized it was coming from above her. She peered up, and saw Peter's blue-eyed, smirking face. Faith reacted just in time, jumping to her right, the arrow sinking into the ground where her foot had just been. She glanced up again, long enough to see his stupid smirk, before she took off again with a triumphant smile: that had been Peter's fourth arrow as well.

Further and further Faith ran, counting each stride she took. When she saw a Dreamshade bush in her path, she twirled around it, feeling somewhat like a ballerina as she did so. Her pulse hammered through her body, and she took heaving breaths. Faith could feel her stamina being pushed to its limit; the muscles in her legs protested with each step she took.

A tree root appeared in her path before Faith saw it, and she tumbled pathetically. Wincing, she glanced at her toe to make sure it wasn't broken, and it appeared she had only stubbed it. A rustling from the bush next to her made her freeze, the hairs on the back of her neck standing up.

Out popped Felix, his bow poised and arrow knocked. He wore a satisfied smirk, and his face was smeared with sweat and dirt.

"Gotcha," Faith heard him murmur softly, more to himself than to her, and he released the string. Without thinking, Faith threw her hands up to shield her face, and she heard Felix utter a gasp. Slowly lowering her hands, Faith opened her eyes to see the arrow inches from where her hands had just been, frozen in mid-air. It seemed to be sparkling and covered with a blue haze.

Before Felix could say anything else, Faith was up and running, hope soaring through her chest. Felix had no more arrows, and Peter had just the one left. If she could somehow manage to outmaneuver him, she would win the game.

As if her thoughts had summoned him, Peter stepped out from the brush ahead, sneering at her. Faith stopped dead in her tracks, feeling her breath catch in her throat. This was it, the moment of truth. _Oh stop being so dramatic, Faith, it's a stupid game_. She chastised herself. Her heart skipped a beat when she heard the ocean nearby, probably somewhere ahead of where Peter stood. It was no coincidence that he had trapped her here; he wanted her to get as close to victory as she could, then snatch it away.

Peter took his time preparing the shot, knocking his arrow painfully slowly, making Faith grit her teeth. He was teasing her, and that pissed her off. _Just shoot me already, you prick. _Peter smirked again, as if guessing what she had just thought, and raised his bow, lining her up in his sights.

The air around them seemed to still, and nothing stirred at all. Even the waves seemed to stop crashing against the shore in this moment. The only sound Faith could hear was her own rapid heartbeat and breathing. Time seemed to have stood still in those few seconds.

When Peter finally released his bow string, it was like Faith was watching it happen in slow motion. She could practically see the string reverberate in the air, and the arrow crept towards her at a colossal rate. As it neared her, she noticed it was aimed straight for her chest, and she thought in a panic that she had to do something.

As if somebody had suddenly pressed the fast forward button, everything seemed to speed up again. Before she knew what had happened, she shot her hand up and caught it as the tip sat mere centimeters away from her heart. Neither of them moved for the next few seconds, each just staring at the arrow in a quiet astonishment.

A slow smile crept across Faith's face, and she tossed the arrow deftly to the side. Peter seemed to still be recovering when she began to walk forward again. Just before she passed him, she stopped and turned her head towards his ear, leaning in slightly.

"Well, look who's won now, Peter," Faith taunted slightly, and shot off again before Peter could respond. A giddy laughter bubbled up inside her throat, as the sound of the waves drew closer and closer to her. She saw a break in the forest ahead, and picked up her pace, grinning madly. Just before she reached the treeline however, Faith felt a stabbing pain in her back, and she exhaled sharply.

The pain brought her to her knees, and she turned her head slightly, seeing an arrow sticking out from her shoulder blades. The last thing she saw before she blacked out was Peter's face, filled with an emotion she never thought she would see gracing his features: concern.

* * *

-Peter-

At first Peter had been mildly aroused at the sound of her breathy voice in his ear, but then he became enraged when he realized she had been taunting him. Nobody ever beat Peter Pan; it was one of the unspoken rules of Neverland. It wasn't even a rule so much as a fact. It simply just did not happen.

Yet here was this girl who had somehow managed to outsmart him not one, but _five_ times. He had to admit that the first four he hadn't really been trying. Peter had wanted Faith to feel as if she was winning, then he could see her devastated expression when he ultimately bested her. He had underestimated her quick reactions, however, and his teasing had cost him. And now he was going to lose.

_No. Peter Pan _never_ loses._ He snarled mentally, and picked up his arrow hurrying after her.

When Peter caught up with Faith, she was just nearing the treeline before the beach. He knocked his arrow quickly, putting her in his sights. With only a slight hesitation, Peter released the arrow, and it flew towards her, burying itself in the flesh between her shoulders.

Her pained gasp was like music to his ears, and he could feel a smirk pulling at the corners of his lips. _That'll teach her._ He thought maliciously. He took his time walking to her, wanting her to feel the pain of her mistake, before he waved his hand over the arrow, making to pull it out and mend the wound simultaneously.

Except when he waved his hand, nothing happened. Peter frowned and tried again; still nothing. _What the hell?!_ He thought in a panic, and passed his hand over the arrow again, this time with more urgency. The arrow stayed stubbornly buried in her shoulders, and blood began to stream down from the wound.

_Shit, shit, SHIT! Why is this happening?_ Peter thought, as he rushed over to Faith and turned her over. Her eyes were glazed over with pain, tears threatening to spill at the corners of her eyes. Before she could get the chance, though, she passed out. Peter noticed with a nauseous pang in his stomach that her face had turned a sickly grayish color, and her breath began to come in wheezing gasps.

Peter was positively panicking at this point. First of all, he had never meant to actually hurt her. He had just wanted to make her feel foolish for thinking she could win, and to punish her for taunting him. His plan had been to heal the wound with magic, and bring her back to camp, so he could relish in her irritated silence.

Then there was the fact that his magic had _never_ failed before. In all his years at Neverland, (if you could even call them years, since time didn't actually pass here) Peter's magic had been as dependable as his dear friend Felix. That was the only predictability he had actually enjoyed about the island. But now, it was as if he didn't have the ability at all, and that scared the shit out of Peter.

As her breathing became more labored, Peter realized he had to do something. He couldn't just leave her here in pain while he tried to figure out his magical dilemma. He needed to get Faith back to camp, and fast.

Peter carefully picked her up and cradled her in his arms, positioning her in a way that wouldn't move the arrow (he didn't want to remove it in case the wound started bleeding heavily). Thankfully, his ability to fly wasn't affected by whatever was going on, and he hurriedly floated off to the campsite, having the strangest feeling that he was being watched. He glanced behind him in annoyance, but when he heard her groan in pain, all worries of being followed flew from his mind as he made sure his sweet Faith was okay.

When he finally arrived at the campsite, (it seemed like it took forever, when in reality it had probably taken three or so minutes) the Lost Boys who had slunk back to the camp in defeat began to cheer, before they looked in their leader's eyes and realized something was very, very wrong. Peter ignored them all and went straight to his tree house, flying up the side, and kicking aside the curtain in irritation. Carefully, he laid her on to her side, and brushed her the auburn locks from her face, feeling a cold sweat breaking out on her skin.

Peter reluctantly left her side, climbing down his tree and heading into the camp, ignoring the questioning looks he was receiving from the Lost Boys. His eyes scanned the campsite, and looked down onto the familiarly hooded figure of his best friend. Felix was sharpening arrows, making Peter wince slightly. Seeing the look on his friend's face, Felix quickly set down his supplies and stood up, frowning.

"What happened?" Felix asked quietly, not wanting to draw the other boys attention, which was pointless because they were all straining their necks trying to listen by now.

"Faith was shot," Peter looked away guiltily, not mentioning it was he who had done so. He cleared his throat awkwardly before he continued. "I can't heal her."

"Why not?" Felix asked before he could stop himself.

"If I knew why I couldn't heal her, do you think I'd be standing here talking to you?!" Peter snapped viciously, pointing a finger in the scarred teen's face. Felix remained silent, not wanting to further anger his friend, and Peter was grateful for that. He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to regain his composure.

"I need you to find Tinkerbell. She's the only one who knows how to heal without magic on this damn island," Peter commanded gruffly.

"And what if she doesn't want to help?" Felix questioned, leaving out that she most definitely would not want to help, considering Peter hadn't been so great to her in the past. At this, Peter rushed forward and grabbed Felix by the front of his shirt, bringing the blond boy close to his face.

"Then you _make _her," Peter snarled, roughly releasing Felix's shirt before turning away without another glance back.

He climbed his tree house quickly, hoping Faith was still okay in his absence. He stood in the doorway, half afraid of what he would see, and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her chest raggedly heaving. His relief was short-lived however, when she started to cough, and a small spray of blood erupted from her throat.

Peter rushed forward and sat down beside her, using his blanket to wipe the blood droplets from her mouth. He began to slowly stroke her cheek, whispering soothingly in her ear. Felix had better hurry the hell up and find Tinkerbell, or else Peter would do it, and that would not be a pretty sight.

* * *

(Felix)

Felix whipped through the forest, his club slung over his shoulder. It felt comforting having his weapon there. Using the bow and arrow in the game earlier had just felt wrong to him. Not to say that he was a bad shot, he just much preferred bashing his victims with a giant piece of wood.

Right now Felix wasn't sure how he had felt. Normally, he didn't bat an eyelash when he saw blood and gore, but when Peter had carried Faith into the camp, he had almost wretched. The injured look on her normally innocent face made his stomach curl, and he didn't even want to think how painful that arrow must have been in her back.

With a sudden pang of sorrow, he realized why seeing Faith in pain made him nauseous; it was like reliving his sister's last moments all over again. The look in her eyes when his father plunged the knife into her chest was one that Felix would not soon forget. The way she had looked at him as he held her dying body had filled his heart with a deep melancholy, and sometimes he could still hear the last words she had ever spoken to him. "Stay strong, Felix. You can only have faith that one day things will get better." He had held her bloody body for hours, sobs wracking his body. It was easily the most helpless he had ever felt in his entire life.

Felix shook his head stubbornly, trying to fight off the tears that had pricked in the corners of his eyelids. He had never cried on this damn island, and he sure as hell never would. He focused on making his way through the misty jungle.

After an hour of relentless trekking, Felix finally came across the clearing belonging to the disgraced ex-fairy. A small hut sat in the middle, smoke rising from a hole in the roof indicating that she was home. Good. He really didn't want to have to go looking for her.

Felix walked up to the door, and paused, wondering what the best way to approach Tinkerbell was. He had only visited her a few times with Peter, when his leader had been in a particularly nasty mood and had been needing a release for his cruelty. He honestly wouldn't be surprised if she spit in his face and tried to kill him, but he had to try; for Faith's sake.

He knocked on the door slightly before barging in, noting that the hut seemed empty.

"Helloo? Anybody home?" he called out mockingly. Suddenly he felt a knife pressed to his throat, and his arm was twisted around his back, causing him to grunt in pain.

"What the _bloody_ _hell_ do you want?" he heard Tinkerbell's strange accent lilting in his ears. He chuckled slightly, making her twist his arm even harder.

"Ahhhhhhh-I'm not here to hurt you, Tink," he replied, hissing slightly in agony.

"Bullshit! Where's you're little friend, huh? Just waiting to pop out and attack when I least expect it? I'm not falling for that again, you little shit," he heard the fairy spit viciously at him.

"I swear Peter's not with me!" Felix exclaimed, getting desperate as the discomfort in his shoulder began to overwhelm him. Tinkerbell paused for a few seconds, as if considering his words, before she released his arm and quickly circled to face him. She never took her distrusting blue eyes from his.

"I'll ask you again, blondie? What the bloody hell do you want?" the short woman snarled, shaking back a few tendrils of hair that had escaped the bun on her head.

"You know blondie isn't that cutting of an insult when you're blonde yourself," Felix chuckled, earning another growl from Tinkerbell.

"Quit with the bloody games, boy. If you don't tell me what you want, I'll twist your arm again, and I'll dislocate your shoulder this time," the blonde fairy threatened darkly. Felix bit back a smart reply; he needed her help, and pissing her off was not the way to get it from her.

"We need your help," he replied vaguely, hoping that her curiosity would be greater than her bitterness. He was proved right when she cocked an eyebrow slightly.

"Who's we?" she asked suspiciously.

"Well technically not we, just Peter-"

"No! Hell, no! I'm not helping that bloody demon!" Tinkerbell exclaimed furiously. Felix sighed in frustration; this was going pretty much exactly how he had figured it would.

"Look, I'm not asking you to do this for Pan. There's a girl who's been injured and-"

"There's another girl here? I thought they weren't allowed?" the fairy cut him off again, making him grit his teeth.

"Yes, there is another girl here, and yes they normally aren't allowed. Peter made an exception for her," Felix explained slowly.

"Why?" Tink scoffed derisively.

"Not quite sure. I think he may like her," Felix admitted reluctantly.

"Oh, please, Peter isn't capable of human emotions. He's a bloody maniac," the blond woman scoffed again, rolling her eyes.

"Look, we can argue about the extent of Peter's emotional capacity, or you can help this girl," Felix snapped, feeling his patience wearing thin.

"Why doesn't he just use his damn magic?"

"He can't. It doesn't work on her." At this, the fairy's eyes widened in shock. This seemed to mean something significant to her. A few minutes of silence passed before Tinkerbell sighed and spoke up again.

"Alright, I'll take a look at her, but you guys owe me big for this," the fairy relented, and Felix sighed in relief, exiting the hut with Tink behind him.

"You can discuss that with Pan; I'm just the messenger boy. We need to hurry, she's in pretty bad shape," Felix said, setting a fast pace for the campsite, the small blond woman easily keeping up with him.

It took another hour or so to reach camp, and by then the sun was beginning to dip in the sky. The Lost Boys were muttering anxiously to each other, and they looked up in surprise when Felix and Tinkerbell entered the clearing. Felix ignored them, making his way straight to Peter's tree house and climbing up the side of the old knotted tree. He glanced behind him to see the fairy struggling slightly.

"Why doesn't he just put some damn stairs here?" he heard Tink mutter to herself, and he smiled slightly.

When they entered the small house, Felix was surprised to see Faith on Peter's bed, the boy right beside her. He was dabbing at her forehead with a damp cloth, and his expression was worried, something Felix did not often see on his friend. Peter looked up at them, and his face lightened a little. Being careful not to disturb Faith, Peter got off the bed and made his way over to them, his demeanor grim.

"I know you didn't exactly come here willingly, but I hope we can put our differences aside for now and focus on her," Peter explained, gesturing at Faith, who looked quite awful. Felix felt that tightening in his stomach again, and he forced himself to look away.

"I'll take a look at her, Pan, but you're gonna owe me," Tinkerbell replied darkly, walking towards the bed. Peter's look darkened and he quirked an eyebrow, but didn't utter a sound as he watched her.

The fairy carefully examined Faith, turning the teen girl slightly and tutting to herself every so often. She slowly prodded the area around the protruding arrow, making Faith cry out softly. Peter stepped forward with a dark expression, but Felix held him back, giving his friend a look that said _let her do her damn job_.

When Tinkerbell had finished her examination, she walked back towards the teenagers with a grim expression. She sighed, as if unsure of where to start.

"Well? What's the verdict?" Peter snapped, his impatience getting the best of him.

"It's not good, Pan. Thankfully the arrow missed her spine, so she isn't paralyzed, but it managed to work it's way through her ribs and into her lungs. It's a miracle she's unconscious, because every breath is probably agony for her." the fairy admitted slowly, a look of sympathy passing over her face as she glanced back at the sleeping girl.

"What do you suggest we do?" Peter prompted, peering over at Faith as well, concern etched on his face.

"We need to remove the arrow as soon as possible."

"But that's a Neverland arrowhead. Those things are barbed like fish hooks; they're nearly impossible to remove," Felix countered slowly.

"Look, if we don't remove that arrow..." Tinkerbell trailed off uncomfortably.

"Then what?!" Peter demanded.

"...She'll die."


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: OH MY GOD! I am so happy that you guys are loving this fanfic! I can't believe I have 20 followers on this! (I know it's not a lot but to me it really is) You guys rock! Please continue to let me know what you think, and thank you to everybody who followed, favorited, and reviewed.**

**On another note, this entire chapter takes place in the best, hence the italics. Enjoy! :)**

-Chapter 8-

[Wendy]

_One hundred years she had been trapped on Neverland, stuck in a small cage. Sometimes the Lost Boys would let her out to chase her, but most of the time they taunted her from within the cage, poking sticks at her from between the cage bars, and spitting at her when she would cry. Her brothers rarely visited her, being forbidden to do so by Peter Pan. _

_At first, she had cried herself to sleep every night, waking up with the salty residue of her tears staining her cheeks. But after twenty long years on the wretched island, something within her snapped. Instead of feeling sorry for herself, she felt herself becoming angry. Angry at the boys who came to taunt her. Angry at Felix, who came twice a day to feed her, yet never spoke a word to her. But, most of all, angry with Peter Pan; it was his fault that he blackmailed her brothers by keeping her hostage. Her suffering was all his fault._

_Her rage coiled inside her body, building steadily over time. She could feel her once untainted heart blackening slowly, as a seed of bitterness planted itself in her heart. The only thing she would think of was getting revenge on the wretched owner of Neverland. _

_After forty years on the island, Wendy Darling was no longer the same thirteen year old girl who was whisked to Neverland. Her hair had grown to her knees, ratted and mangled, and dirt clung to every pore of her skin. If her parents could've seen her, they surely would have fainted on the spot. _

_Something changed again in Wendy, however. The ugliness in her heart began to fester, and she could feel a strange buzzing around her skin. Sometimes when the Lost Boys would come to play their sick games with her, a black shock would erupt between their skin. Pretty soon, the Lost Boys stopped coming, and the only human interaction she would get was with Felix, who continued to act like she did not exist. _

_When sixty years had passed, Wendy was hardly a shadow of her former self. And oddly enough, that is when Peter Pan's shadow began to take an interest in her. At first, she could only make out its purple eyes in the dark jungle ahead of her cage. But year after year, it came closer and closer to her, until one day it had tentatively reached through the bars of cage. _

_When its shadowy fingertips had brushed against Wendy's skin, an explosion of dark light had erupted around the area, engulfing the two completely. A power such as she had never felt before had surged throughout her person. When the dark smoke had faded away, the shadow looked at her with those intense purple orbs, and she could have sworn it had smiled._

_"__You are the chosen one," it had said simply. The shadow then preceded to tell her about the Shadow Oracle. _

_Five thousand years ago, there had been a powerful kingdom that was feared by all in a land known as the Enchanted Forest. The Shadow Kingdom, it had been called. The royals of the domain had the ability to tame shadows, bending the dark beings to their will. It was the rulers of the Shadow Kingdom who had also discovered you could not truly die if your shadow was not attached to your physical being, but if done improperly, ripping one's shadow away would cause a painful death. Any human who dwelled within the Kingdom was forbidden to posses a shadow, death being the consequence if you defied the order. The Shadow Kingdom had an impressive army of ruthless shadows, which could not be taken down by a blade or an arrow. They pilfered nearby kingdoms, killing the inhabitants and stealing their wealth when they would not comply to their demands. The Shadow Kingdom's reign of terror lasted well over 400 years. _

_Until one day, a lonely farmer had been attacked at night by a group of shadow soldiers. To his utter astonishment, he was able to fend off the dark beings with only the torch he held in his hands. The news spread like wildfire: The Shadow Kingdom had a weakness. From kingdom to kingdom it had traveled, until the respective royals met together with a plan to bring down the Shadow Kingdom's reign of tyranny. _

_This act of defiance was what started The War of Light and Dark, shadows fighting against soldiers from all across the realm, armed only with torches. Much to the Shadow Kingdom's dismay, they were losing. Light was much stronger against dark, than dark was against light. _

_Pretty soon, the shadows were fending off attacks from outside the kingdom gates. The Shadow Queen of the time was a cruel and unforgiving woman, but she was a cunning and powerful magician. All of her magic power was stored in a black staff, carved from the oldest poison apple tree in the realm, with a dark orb sitting on top, a mysterious black gas swirling within. In her uneasiness, the Queen thought up a terrible curse that would ultimately save the Shadow Kingdom._

_When enacted, the curse would kill everybody within five hundred miles of the castle, and create an impenetrable magical barrier around the Shadow Kingdom. Only the chosen one could pass through the barrier and reach the staff, hidden safe within the castle, and reestablish the Shadow Kingdom. _

_The manner of choosing said chosen one was a difficult decision. The Shadow Queen knew it couldn't be anybody within or near the castle, and even if she could find somebody, the curse had a downside to it: nobody, not even the chosen one, could pass through the barrier until five thousand years had passed. _

_In a stroke of brilliance, the Shadow Queen decided she would send her own shadow to do the job of finding the chosen one. She would send her shadow far away from the curse's reach, keeping it safe from harm, and the shadow would travel between worlds, searching for the perfect candidate. When it had found them, the shadow would separate the chosen one from its current shadow, and attach itself to them. If the chosen one came in contact with another shadow, a dark and powerful magic would erupt from their bodies. _

_Wendy Darling listened in fascination as Peter Pan's shadow told her of the Shadow Oracle. That's what the dark light had been; it was an indicator of her true self. The chosen one, and rightful Shadow Queen. When she expressed a slight doubt as to why it would have chosen her, Peter's shadow explained that shadows were attracted to dark and malevolent energy as much as they were attracted to light. Wendy's dampening spirit in Neverland is what most likely drew the shadow of the Shadow Queen to her. _

_Wendy and the shadow came up with a plan to get her off the island and back to the Enchanted Forest, so she could break the curse of the Shadow Kingdom. When Peter wanted to travel back there to recruit more Lost Boys, the shadow would double back and bring Wendy to the same place. _

_And so their plan was carried out on a windy night in Neverland, one hundred years to the day she had arrived at the godforsaken island. The plan went without a hitch, until the shadow arrived in Neverland and realized that he did not know where the Shadow Kingdom was, nobody really did. So much time had passed, that many believed it was just an old wives tale, and the Shadow Kingdom did not exist. Wendy would have to find the dreaded place herself. _

_It took her nine years to finally find the dark realm, time actually passing as it hadn't in Neverland. She had cut her hair to her shoulders with a jagged knife when the shadow had first brought her to the Enchanted Forest, and she continued to keep it styled that way, loving how wild it made her seem. Wendy matured into a beautiful young woman, but she was as evil as she was pretty. Along the way, she got lost numerous times, and never hesitated to slit a throat or fuck a man to get the information she desired. Her dark, corrupted soul was beyond repair, and her need for power and revenge became insatiable. _

_When she finally arrived at the barrier to the Shadow Kingdom, Wendy felt the closest to happy that she had ever felt (it was probably more satisfaction than anything). Holding her breath slightly, but with her head held high, she walked through the barrier and straight into castle, breaking the five thousand year curse on the Shadow Kingdom._

_Wendy didn't stop until she reached the throne, which had the dark staff she had heard of perched across it invitingly. She picked up the dark stick, and had never felt so powerful in her life. She could've chosen to establish the Shadow Kingdom right here in this beautifully dark castle, but Wendy decided against it. Although her lust for power had been sated, she still felt the need for revenge deep in her bones. _

_The only other place she could possibly restart the Shadow Kingdom was Neverland. It had an abundance of shadows that Pan's own shadow had ripped from unsuspecting victims, and with the staff, Wendy could now control them. She would also get to watch as the control of the island was ripped from underneath Peter Pan's nose, and she could humiliate him as he had done to her. _

_The only problem now, was finding a way back to Neverland. Wendy could wait until Peter's shadow showed up again, but that could be years, and her new position of power made her reluctant to rely upon others. _

_For the next year she searched for a way to Neverland, following rumors of a magical bean that could transport between worlds. Wendy was finally led to a pirate ship, amid gossip that the dashing captain of the ship held one of these beans in his possession. Killian Jones was his name, but he was most commonly known as "Hook". Nobody knew exactly why he had lost his hand and had to replace it with said hook, but he insisted it was the doing of a nasty crocodile. _

_Wendy put up the act of a frightened young woman running away from home, and Captain Hook ate it up. He became quite enamored with her, and she used this to her advantage. Wendy got him drunk off his rockers, and coaxed out the information that he had wanted to hear: he did, in fact, have the magic bean. Unfortunately, when the Captain was drunk, he was also a bit handsy, so Wendy made the best of the situation and gave him what he wanted._

_When he was passed out naked in his bunk, she rifled through his clothing and found the small clear bean she had been after for so long. Wendy smiled in triumph and made her way to the deck of the ship, which was currently sailing along the equator lazily. Climbing on the side of the massive wooden ship she tossed the bean over the side of the railing, and prepared to jump. _

_"__Dammit, woman, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Wendy heard one of the crew members shout at her, and she laughed maniacally at that and turned to face him._

_"__I'm going to Neverland," she replied darkly, and keeping her eyes on him the entire time, she let go of the side and fell into the swirling portal, thinking murderous thoughts about the blue-eyed devil of the wretched island. _


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Ahhh I love you guys so much! I'm glad you're liking the story so far! I apologize for writing this a little late (even though it seems I always do, haha) but I had to clean my hedgehogs cage before I could write this. Please continue to let me know what y'all think! :)**

**Warning: There is a bit of gore in this chapter. If you're squeamish, read with caution. **

-Chapter 9-

-Peter-

Peter's heart had practically stopped when he heard Tinkerbell say that there was a possibility that Faith could die. And then he felt shame flow hot through his veins; this was all his fault. All because he hadn't wanted to look foolish, and his constant need for control. And now Faith was lying here, her breathing ragged and painful, her face still slightly gray. Thankfully, the auburn-haired teen was still unconscious, but there was no doubt that she was in serious pain.

"Alright, what do we need to do?" Peter sighed reluctantly, turning to Tinkerbell and pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I'm going to need some herbs first of all; some for the pain, some for infection. I'll also need hot water and something to bandage the wound with. And if the arrow won't come out easily..." Tinkerbell trailed off, not wanting to finish the sentence, but plucking up the courage somehow. "...We'll need a knife."

"What for?" Felix asked curiously, paling slightly.

"We may have to cut the arrow out," Peter mumbled, clenching his fists. _Peter, you piece of shit. You worthless piece of shit, this is all your fault._ A cruel voice echoed in his mind, and he didn't bother trying to deny it.

"Well, what are you waiting for? The more we delay this, they worse it's going to get," Tinkerbell snapped impatiently. Peter frowned slightly, he didn't like taking orders, but there were more important things to worry about now. Trying to save face a little bit, he turned to Felix to delegate the orders to him.

"Alright Felix, I want you to get Nibs to find the herbs that Tinkerbell needs; he's very familiar with the flora in this area. Then I want you to find a pot and fill it with water from the stream, I'll take care of boiling it. Finally, I want you to bring some fabric straps from the stash for bandages," Peter commanded, and with a slight nod Felix left immediately, wasting no time.

"And what are you going to do, Pan?" Tinkerbell asked curiously, sitting on a chair across from the bed.

"I'm going to stay here with Faith," he answered simply, not delving into exactly why he needed to be with her, and Tinkerbell didn't ask. Trying to ignore the blond woman in the room, Peter crossed over and sat on the bed beside Faith, stroking her soft, wavy hair.

"Don't worry, Faith. It's going to be all right," Peter whispered softly, only loud enough for Faith to hear.

It seemed to take forever, but Felix finally returned with the pot of water and bandages. Felix crept to the corner of the room, not wanting to be in there, but also not wanting to leave. Peter ignored his strange actions, and used his magic to set the water at a rolling boil. Soon after, Nibs arrived with the herbs, and gasped when he saw Faith's weak form on Peter's bed.

"Is Faith going to be alright?" the young boy asked in a small voice.

"Nibs, please leave now, we have work to do," Peter calmly answered, though his eyes were flashing dangerously.

"But, Peter is she going to be-"

"Leave now, Nibs!" Peter shouted threateningly, cowering over the small form of the boy. Nibs darted out of the room immediately with tears in his eyes. Peter sighed in frustration and began to pinch the bridge of his nose.

"Alright, what the hell are we waiting for? Let's get started," Peter snapped.

Tinkerbell wisely ignored remained silent and walked forward. She sat on the floor in front of the supplies and got to work. First she grabbed the pinkish herb, which was for pain relief, and popped it into her mouth, chewing slightly. Noticing Peter's befuddled expression, she chuckled slightly.

"The herb only works when it's been ground up. Now I'll need some bowls to put these in," Tink requested between chews, and with a snap of his fingertips, Peter made two bowls appear in front of her. If she was shocked, she hid it well, and the small blonde woman spat the herbs into one of the bowls. She popped the other herb in her mouth, the one with excellent anti-infection properties, and did the same.

Taking both bowls, she walked over to the bed where Faith lay and set them down next to the unconscious girl. Tinkerbell then grabbed a piece of fabric from the pile and dipped it carefully into the scalding water. She draped it over the side of the pot, so it wouldn't cool, and turned back to Peter.

"I'll need a knife now," Tinkerbell said, and Peter offered her the slender knife that was slung through his belt. Noting its bright silver surface (it was a very high quality blade), the blond woman took it in her hands and flashed Peter an unreadable look. Turning back to Faith, she carefully rolled the girl on her stomach, the arrow sticking prominently in the air. Tinkerbell took the collar of Faith's shirt, and slowly sliced down the length of the garment, careful not to nick her skin. When she had severed the shirt in half, she lay both of the tattered pieces off the the side, exposing Faith's pale back.

Peter gulped involuntarily, taking in the girl's exposed form. Her skin was so pale it practically shone in the dark of the room, and it looked ridiculously soft. He wanted to feel the surface of it underneath his fingertips, and wanted to feel goosebumps rising from his touch. He fought back the urge to drag his fingers lightly over the bumps in her spine, and tried to focus on what was happening.

Peter flicked his eyes up to the wound between her shoulder blades, and stifled a gasp. It was pretty nasty, and he'd seen his fair share of gore. The skin around the arrow head was red and raw, blood staining the area, and a trickle of blood oozed down along her spine. He could already see pus beginning to form around the edges of the puckered skin, and a sickly smell drifted upwards into his nostrils.

Tinkerbell, meanwhile, _had_ audibly gasped, but quickly recovered herself when she saw Peter's stoic nature. Grabbing the bowl with the chewed up pink herb inside it, Tink dipped her fingers in the mixture. Carefully, she dabbed at the edges of the wound, applying it generously. She almost stopped when Faith stiffened underneath her, but Tinkerbell forced herself to keep going.

When she had finished, she set the bowl down, and turned to Peter with a grim look on her face.

"I'm going to need you to hold her down, while I try to remove the arrow," Tinkerbell said, and Peter nodded in understanding.

Very slowly, he set his hand on the small of her back, holding back another gasp. Her skin was exactly as smooth as he had imagined it, and his hand molded perfectly into the curve of her body. He set his other hand on top of her left shoulder, noticing with a soft smile that it was covered in a light dusting of freckles. He would have been greatly aroused, had this been a different situation.

Tinkerbell grabbed Faith's right shoulder with one hand, and with the other took hold of the arrow sticking out from the middle of her back. She glanced up at Peter, and looked down with a set determination on her face.

With a swift pull, Tinkerbell wrenched at the arrow, but it stayed firmly embedded in Faith's skin. She tried yanking again, but little progress was made. The arrow was barbed in a way that made it impossible to remove. With one last, halfhearted pull, Tinkerbell tried again to remove the wretched arrow, but still nothing happened, and she looked at Peter sadly.

Tinkerbell grabbed the knife and quickly walked over to the boiling water. She plunged the blade in, and held it there for a few seconds, sterilizing it, and pulled it out. She paced back over to the side of the bed, the knife steaming, and prepared herself again.

She brought the knife down agonizingly slowly, and Peter resisted the urge to shout at her. He instead tried to keep his attention on the heat coming from Faith's skin, and the cold sweat that had broken out. He rubbed his thumb soothingly over her back, knowing she couldn't feel it, but it comforted him as well.

The knife had finally reached the surface of the skin, and Peter saw Tinkerbell swallow back her apprehension and sink the knife into the girls back. Tinkerbell wiggled it around the arrowhead, trying to create a larger hole and cut the skin away from the barbs attached to it. She worked slowly, trying to be precise, but Peter noticed her face had paled slightly, and a sheen of sweat glowed upon her forehead.

After several tense minutes, the blond fairy finally removed the knife from the wound, and looked up at Peter again. Her expression told him that this wasn't going to be pretty. He braced himself against Faith's back and clenched his jaw. Tinkerbell yanked with all her might, and the arrow slowly lifted out. It was at that moment however, that Faith regained her consciousness, screaming in pain.

* * *

~Faith~

Faith had been drifting in and out of consciousness all day, aware of only a few things: her pain, and Peter's presence, everything else being a blur. She was vaguely aware of being set down on a surface, a very soft surface she noted, and felt soothing strokes upon her face before she passed out again.

When she woke up, an agonizing pain was searing through her back, bringing tears to her eyes. She screamed loudly, feeling her voice crack. She realized her mouth was dry, and wished desperately for some water to quench her thirst.

The pain was still burning about her entire back, and she felt something warm begin to stream down her skin. The presence she had felt on her back left, and suddenly a face popped into her view: Peter Pan's harsh, blue-eyed face. Except his expression was soft, and she saw regret staining his eyes.

"Shh, I know it hurts, Faith, darling, I know," he murmured softly, reaching up to stroke her face gently. Even through the searing pain, she could feel her skin buzzing from his contact, and slight yellow sparks erupted between them. He continued to whisper soothing words to her, his eyes never leaving her face, and his thumb stroking a line from the corner of her eye to the bottom of her full lips.

Faith gasped again as she felt something hot and damp being dabbed across her back. Peter's face showed a deep level of concern that she never would have thought possible of him. He continued to mumble comfortingly, taking his other hand to stroke her hair softly.

"Shit," she heard a female voice mutter quietly.

"What's wrong?" Peter asked in a hard voice, but his eyes refused to stray from Faith.

"There's still a really heavy blood flow. I'm going to have to stitch it shut." She heard the woman reply, and Faith felt a pit forming in her stomach. She was going to have to get stitches, without any anesthetic. Peter noticed the fear in her face, and he continued to whisper soothing words to her.

"Shh, don't worry, Faith. I'm going to stay right here. I won't let her hurt you," he muttered softly. He never took his eyes from her as he snapped his fingers, causing a thick thread and needle to appear beside her. Faith saw a pale hand snatch it up, and assumed it belonged to the female voice she had heard earlier. Faith trembled in anticipation of the pain, and felt a single tear glide hotly down her cheek. She felt weak and foolish for allowing it to escape, but Peter simply smiled sympathetically and wiped it away with the pad of his thumb.

"Okay, love, I'm going to start stitching your wound now," Faith heard the woman say to her, and she tensed in response.

"It's okay, Faith, just relax. It's going to hurt more if you tense up like that, sweetheart," she heard Peter whisper soothingly. And she did relax slightly, lulled by his soothing tones and soft touches.

When the needle went through her skin, Faith bit her lip to prevent from crying out. She bit her lip so hard she could taste blood, and more hot tears began to flow down her cheeks. Peter continued to comfort her, easing the pain slightly, but not enough. Faith tried not to think about it, but she could feel the needle tugging and pulling at her skin, closing the wound on her back.

After an agonizingly painful ten minutes, during which Faith counted the strokes of Peter's thumb down her cheek, the woman was finally done stitching the wound.

"It's not pretty, but it'll hold," Faith heard the woman say softly, more to herself than anybody else.

"Alright, love, I'm going to put some anti-infection herb around the wound. It's going to sting a little," the woman spoke again. Peter continued to stroke her cheek and talk quietly to Faith.

Stinging a little was a huge understatement. Faith sucked in a breath, and closed her eyes, as the sharp burning sensation stung throughout her back. It felt like somebody was pouring acid onto her already tender flesh, and more tears leaked down her cheeks, being sweetly swiped away by Peter.

The woman stopped applying the herb, and Faith heard her rustling around off to the side. She heard the female clear her throat awkwardly before speaking.

"Okay, in order to properly dress your wound, I'm going to need you to remove your shirt," the woman said, causing a flush to creep across Faith's face. She sure as hell was _not_ going to remove her shirt in front of Peter.

The boy in front of her seemed to sense that, because after a final brush across her cheek and a sympathetic smile, he stood up and walked away.

"Felix and I will wait outside, Tink. Let me know when you're done," Peter said softly, and she heard him exit the room. _Did he just say, Tink? As in Tinkerbell? _The_ Tinkerbell?!_ Faith thought to herself, momentarily forgetting her pain.

"Wait, you're not Tinkerbell the fairy, are you?" she asked weakly, slowly sitting up, and wincing when she felt the wound on her back stretch.

"The one and only," Tinkerbell chuckled softly, helping Faith rid herself of her tattered and blood encrusted shirt. Faith blushed slightly again when she realized she was fully exposed. Tinkerbell was very polite about it however, and gave a reassuring smile.

The blond fairy before her began wrapping a length of cloth around her upper back and smallish breasts, covering the wound, and making it look as though Faith was wearing a tube top of sorts. Tinkerbell finished dressing the wound and tucked the end of the cloth in between the other wrapped parts.

"That should do it," Tinkerbell whispered slightly, giving a small smile to Faith. She walked to the door to call the others back in, but only Peter returned.

"You'll need to redress the wound twice a day, washing it and applying the herb when you do so. Be careful to keep the bandages dry. If the infection gets worse, you know where to find me," Tinkerbell instructed. A tense moment passed between the two.

"...Thank you," Peter said softly, and Faith got the feeling he didn't say those two words very often. Tinkerbell just slightly nodded before exiting the room.

Faith looked around, trying to avoid Peter's gaze, taking in the room around her. Faith realized it was a tree house, when she saw branches sticking in through the windows and around the room. She was lying on a plush bed, across from which was an old dresser. On the other side of the room was a small table with a chair in front of it. In the furthest corner from where she sat, was a bookshelf stocked to the brim.

"How are you feeling, Faith," she heard Peter ask, rousing her from her visual investigation of the room. Her heart skipped in her chest when she heard her name pass through her lips.

"I'm alright," she croaked, her throat still painfully dry. Peter seemed to notice and waved his hand, producing a tall glass of cold water and handing it to her. Faith gulped greedily at the liquid, feeling some splash down on her chin, but she didn't care. After she had finished the glass, Faith set it down next to the night stand next to the bed, wiped her face with her hand, and smiled hesitantly at Peter.

"Thank you...Peter. I needed that," she said. Peter grinned at her before replying.

"So you finally admit I'm not an imposter?"

"I guess you could say that," Faith replied, and went to lay down again absentmindedly. When her back touched the bed, she shot up and yelped, realizing her mistake. Peter's eyes widened and he rushed to her side.

"Are you okay?" Peter asked worriedly, placing a hand on her face. She leaned in to his large hand, the smell of him filling her nostrils. It felt comforting; it felt right.

"I'm okay, I'm okay. I just wasn't thinking properly," Faith admitted sheepishly. Reluctantly, she tore away from his hand, and went to lay on her side, her back facing Peter. The close contact with him had made her nervous, and she began counting the grains in the wood on the wall.

Suddenly she felt Peter's warm body climb in beside her, and he threw a blanket over the both of them. Her heart practically stopped as Faith felt him curl against her body, careful not to touch her back, and his arm resting on the curve of her stomach.

"W-what are you d-doing?" Faith stuttered nervously. Her skin felt on fire at his contact, and she could feel those sparks at every contact point between them.

"I wanted to comfort you," she heard him reply against her neck. His warm breath tickled her skin, and she felt goosebumps crop up in the area. She had to strain her ears to pick up what he said next.

"I don't like seeing you in pain."

Faith gulped, and felt butterflies flutter busily around her stomach. It was all very overwhelming and she wasn't sure how she felt about it. She knew she liked the contact, but her mind raced at a mile a minute, trying to figure out what was going on, why it was happening, and what she was supposed to do.

While she was trying to decipher Peter's behavior, a huge desire to sleep hit her like a freight train. She felt herself relax in Peter's grip, and slowly drifted off to sleep, with Peter's warm breath teasing at her neck, and his fingers rubbing circles against her waist.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: AHHH YOU GUYS ARE SO AWESOME! Never in a million years did I think that people would actually like something I wrote, so this means so, so much to me. I'm sorry if this chapter is a little shorter than normal (I honestly have no idea whether it actually is or not) but I am practically falling asleep right now, so I decided to just keep this one short and sweet. **

**Also, this chapter has a tad bit of gore in it again, and the italicized text later on indicates a memory. **

**Please continue to let me know what you think! And thanks for following, favoriting, and/or subscribing! :)**

-Chapter 10-

-Peter-

Peter could have watched Faith's soft form sleep for hours. Her deep breaths filled the sound of the room, and occasionally, her lips would twitch in her sleep and she would mutter softly. He loved the way her skin felt, so soft and smooth. He could feel the fine hairs across the skin on her stomach. His lips rested against her neck, feeling the sensitive skin there, and he resisted the urge to bite a mark on the unblemished flesh. It seemed as though Peter was resisting a lot of things these days.

He had never felt this way about a girl before, not even in his previous realm (his other life, he liked to call it). Sure he'd been with his share of women, but none of them had left any real impact on his life. He was afraid of commitment, but even more so afraid of rejection. Peter was afraid to lay his ugly heart on the line and have a sweet, innocent girl like Faith see that ugliness, and stomp on it.

_Bloody coward_. The dark voice in his head echoed. He hated that voice, but fucking hell was it always right. Sometimes Peter thougth it was the voice of the shadow, still bound to him by magic. He _had_ after all used magic to remove his shadow; perhaps this was the draw. Or perhaps he just loathed himself that much.

Peter was roused from his thoughts by a harsh chuckle, and he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand. He whipped his head up, looking around the small tree house, his eyes finally setting on the dark corner where the bookshelf stood. _Those damn purple eyes._

"You know, I had a suspicion that you were growing soft, Peter, but this? This is far worse than I could've imagined," His shadow sneered at him sarcastically. Peter felt a hot rage seep throughout his body, and he slowly untangled himself from the sleeping girl to face his shadow.

"Shut the fuck up," Peter spat bitterly at his shadow.

"Tsk, tsk, vulgarity will get you no where," it chastised the teen, making his jaw grind together.

"Was there any particular reason you've been watching me? And I don't just mean now, I mean for the past week. Don't think I haven't noticed," the surly boy asked his shadow darkly. The shadow smiled before answering.

"I just thought I'd see how everyone was adjusting to..._recent events_," The dark form emphasized, gesturing towards Faith as he did so.

"You're a bloody liar," Peter snarled, not quite believing the answer he received.

"Would I lie to you, Peter?" the shadow asked rhetorically. A tense moment passed between the two, neither daring to say a word. Finally, the shadow sighed dramatically and shook his head.

"I just thought you were better than this, Pan. I thought _we_ were better than this."

"What the hell are you on about?" Peter pinched the bridge of his nose. Why was this stupid shadow always so vague.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. You have feelings for the girl," the shadow hissed, losing all pretense of sarcastic politeness.

"I...don't, I mean, I never said-" Peter stuttered pathetically. He still didn't want to admit it.

"Oh, please, even a blind hag could tell how you feel. The way you look at her. The way you _speak_ to her. It sickens me," his shadow was practically spitting the words by now.

"You're seeming to forget your place," Peter uttered dangerously, his eyes dancing with rage. Any normal being would have probably taken cover at this point, but Peter's shadow just scoffed derisively.

"And you seem to forget yours. You're _Peter Pan_. Owner of Neverland. Ruthless, heartless, and unwilling to relent. Reduced to a sniveling mess by a mere mortal girl," the shadow was circling him by now, spitting the words at him. Peter's fists were clenched so hard that he began to draw blood in his palms; if he ground his jaw any harder, it would probably crack.

"Watch your fucking tone, I swear to the gods," Peter warned, his tone barely above a whisper.

"I thought we agreed that love makes you weak. Love stomps all power away from the glorious. Love makes you, might I say-"

"Don't you fucking dare," Peter cut the shadow off, feeling his rage begin to settle deep in his heart, now icing his veins. Had the shadow not been so hellbent on taunting Peter, it would have noticed the dark, swirling magic floating around Peter's hands. And if Peter hadn't been so busy listening, he might've, as well.

"-A coward." The shadow finished, stopping inches away from Peter's face with a frightening smile. That was it; Peter lost it. The dark mist around his hands erupted and beamed towards the shadow, knocking it back against the wall. It convulsed madly, screaming in agony.

"I. AM NOT. A COWARD." Peter thundered, emphasizing each word with another painful surge of magic towards the dark being. It flopped around madly, positively shrieking by now, only fueling Peter's mad desire to cause it pain. He had never felt so alive, so powerful.

Finally, Peter forced himself to stop, almost becoming overwhelmed at the sense of dark power he had received. The shadow slumped to the floor, gasping loudly. Peter stared his shadow down with the most malicious look.

"Do remember your place_, shadow_," it was Peter's turn to spit viciously. The shadow flicked its menacing purple eyes towards the towering teen's face before he slipped out the window, as if he had never been there.

Peter stood staring at the spot where his shadow had just been, trying to comprehend what had just happened. In all of his time at Neverland (a funny saying it was: _time _in Neverland), Peter had never felt that sort of magic before. He had also never been able to use magic against his own shadow like that. Lost Boys cowered in fear at his magic hands, but his own shadow could only be tamed using fire.

"Peter?" a soft voice sounded from behind him, making him nearly jump out of his skin. He had forgotten she had been there. The slight note of fear in her voice made Peter cringe with guilt. He almost didn't want to turn around a face her, but he made himself.

Faith was staring at him wide-eyed, a terrified look in her eyes. She was sitting up on the bed now, blankets drawn to her chest, and breathing heavily. Part of him wanted to reach out and comfort her, but the voice in his head protested. _No, Peter! She makes you_ weak.

Instead, he gave her a cold look before saying, "What the hell are you looking at?" and vanished into thin air.

* * *

(Felix)

Felix was roused from his sleep by the sound of a commotion coming from Peter's tree house. At first he tried to ignore it, his exhausted brain rationalizing that Peter could probably handle it, but the noise became too much. Opening his eyes, he stifled a yawn and looked out of the flap of his tent. With surprise, Felix noted there was a strange, yet brilliant glow of purple coming from Peter's tree house. He made to go towards his friend's dwelling, but was stopped cold by the tone in Peter's voice; he knew better than to interfere when Peter sounded like that.

Felix sat down by the dying embers of the fire, trying to ignore the commotion, knowing that Peter would find him when he was ready. His mind wandered to Faith, and the look of absolute pain in her eyes, so familiar to him. His heart had ached as he had watched her struggle from the corner of the room; it was like reliving a personal hell.

In every way, Faith reminded him of his sister. His sweet, innocent sister. She hadn't been older than fourteen when she was taken from him so cruelly. Sometimes when he couldn't sleep, Felix remembered the entire scene vividly, as if experiencing the trauma all over again.

_His father had been piss drunk as usual, the alcohol seeping from every pore in his thick body. He was hardly understandable as he ranted about something else that had pissed him off. Suddenly, Felix's father had turned on Melindre with a cold rage in his eyes. _

_"__And you 'lil slut," he pointed accusingly at Felix's sister. Felix felt a confused rage roar through him; what the hell was his father talking about._

_"__Father, I-" Melindre had begun to say, but their father silenced her with a sloppy sweep of his arm. _

_"__Save your words, whore. I know you've been sneakin' around with the farmer's 'lil bastard! How many times has he used your disgusting body? You make me sick," the older man slurred angrily, coming closer and closer to where Felix and his sister stood. He heard a sob break out from Melindre, and saw tears began to leak onto her face. Felix snapped; enough was enough._

_"__Don't talk to her like that!" Felix yelled at the inebriated mess of his father. The man furrowed his brow and bared his teeth, grabbing his knife from his belt and wobbling closer._

_"__What did you say to me, boy?"_

_"__You heard me. _Father_. Or has the drink slowed your brain even more than usual?" Felix snapped, his fists clenched into tight balls. _

_"__Don't you speak to me like that boy," his father roared, continuing to advance._

_"__Or what, old man? You'll threaten me to death?" Felix challenged boldly, fed up with his father's shit. _

_At this the man snarled savagely before advancing surprisingly fast for somebody drunk off their ass. His knife was held before him, aiming straight for Felix's heart._

_"__No!" Felix heard a shout erupt from his sister's mouth, and before he could react, Melindre had jumped in front of him, the knife sinking deeply into her chest. The young girl fell to the ground in a heap, blood already leaking onto the floors. _

_"__You fucking bastard!" Felix screamed in fury, launching himself at his drunken father, both of them tumbling to the ground in a heap. _

_Felix scratched, and pounded at his father's face, ignoring the older man's screams as he rained blows upon him. Felix picked up his father's walking stick that was lying next to them, and brought it down over the man's head again and again, until blood was pouring from every orifice of his father's face. He bashed until he could no longer recognize the disgusting, drunken features, finally throwing down the staff when the man had stopped fighting back. _

_Felix realized with a slight chill that the older man was painfully still, but he then found that he didn't really care. He instead turned his attention to the crumpled pile that was Melindre a few feet away. Felix picked up her weak body and cradled it in his arms. Melindre coughed violently, flecks of blood flying across her mouth. She looked so small and vulnerable right now. With a weak smile, she looked up at Felix._

_"__Stay strong, Felix. You can only have faith that one day things will get better," Melindre said to him solemnly, before closing her eyes for the last time._

_"__No, no, no, NO!," the blond boy screamed in disbelief, as her body shuddered and stilled. He cradled her in his arms, rocking her back and forth and sobbing morosely. He had never cried so much in his life, and he never would again._

_When the morning sun rose again, Felix felt different; he felt numb. It was as if he had spent all of his emotions the previous night, and he just didn't care anymore. _

_He dug a grave for his sister, placing her in it softly and kissing her forehead one last time. He took his time covering her, knowing he had nowhere to go, and nobody to be with; nobody to live for anymore. When he was done, he outlined the newly tilled earth with the seashells they had collected together, and placed a single daisy in the center; her favorite flower._

_As for his father, he simply spat on the corpse and left it to rot. _Let the crows feast on his pathetic flesh._ Felix had thought bitterly._

_Having nowhere to go, Felix wandered the surrounding forest, completely empty inside. And that night was the very first night he had heard the sound of the flute. _

Felix hadn't even realized he had fallen asleep until he felt a foot nudging insistingly in his back. He sat up groggily, hair mussed up and body stiff from sleeping on the hard ground.

"Ehwhat?" he mumbled sleepily, eyes blinking furiously. It was still night, that much he could determine, and when his head finally cleared, he saw the lanky form of his leader standing behind him with a grim look on his face.

"Everything alright, Peter?" Felix asked cautiously, sitting on the log behind him. Peter sighed and sat down next to him.

"Peachy," his friend replied. Peter didn't elaborate further, and Felix didn't ask any questions. The two sat in silence for a few minutes, each staring at the smoldering embers of the once roaring fire pit.

"I'm going to be gone for a little while, so you'll be in charge. You'll also need to take care of the girl. Clean and dress her bandages twice a day," Peter commanded suddenly, his voice lacking any detectable emotion.

"Where are you going?" Felix asked slowly, hoping it wouldn't irritate his leader. But, Peter just sighed again before answering.

"I need to figure some things out," he replied simply. "If her condition gets worse, call Tinkerbell; she'll help. And don't go looking for me. If I see another soul while I'm gone I'll lose my shit."

The two exchanged a knowing glance before Peter suddenly disappeared, leaving Felix sitting on the log in a slight daze. So many questions were running through his mind. For example, what the hell had happened in the tree house? And why was Peter refusing to refer to Faith by her name? And what the ever living fuck did he need to figure out? Felix knew better than to seek the answers to these questions, but they still echoed curiously in his mind.

Felix made himself rise from his seat, shaking the swirling questions from his mind. Instead, he focused on rebuilding the fire, knowing he wouldn't be able to get back to sleep again.

After an hour of searching for usable timber, and after a few tries, Felix got the fire roaring merrily again. With a sigh, he lay on his back, staring up at the sky. It was already beginning to lighten, the stars disappearing as a new day made it's appearance.

* * *

~Faith~

When Faith first woke up, all she heard was terrifying shrieks of pain, and saw a dark purple light being reflected around the tiny room. Wincing slightly, she sat up, looking around and stopping cold when she saw Peter standing near the corner.

His back was to her, but Faith had no doubt that the expression he wore was deadly. But that wasn't the thing that scared her. It was the dark black mist erupting from his hands with such a force, it was no wonder he hadn't fallen over. The screams were coming from Peter's shadow, contorted violently against the wall, its purple eyes glowing madly. She heard Peter scream something, but she didn't absorb what it was, she was too busy focusing on the dark magic surrounding him.

Suddenly, just as soon as it had started, Peter stopped, and muttered something to his shadow, who took off like a flash. Faith sat in stunned silence, not sure what the hell had just happened. Why was he attacking his own shadow like that? And why had that dark substance made Faith violently nauseous.

"Peter?" Faith softly blurted out before she could stop herself. She wanted to see his face, hoping he would give her that easy smirk and proclaim the incident as a joke. But when the teen slowly turned to face her, Faith felt a soft gasp slip from her lips.

She had never seen such a look of cold rage and power on a person before, and that alone terrified her. This could not have been the same person who had cuddled her to sleep, who had kissed away her tears and told her it would all be okay.

"What the hell are you looking at?" she heard Peter snap at her, looking at her so coldly it almost stopped her heart. And just like that he was gone, as if he had never been there.

Tears pricked at Faith's eyes as she dried to decipher his words. What had made him snap like that? And why was Peter taking it out on _her_? What had she ever done to him?

Faith forced herself to lay back on her side, feeling a sharp pain every time she drew a breath. She missed Peter's warmth against her, and his soothing words being muttered in to her neck. Even though she was afraid of the contact, she found herself craving it, and wished more then ever that she could feel his body against hers again.

Faith drifted off into a reluctant sleep, having nightmares about giant shadowy numbers chasing her, while Peter egged them on.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: You guys are so so so so so so super duper awesome! I can't believe there are 25 followers to this story! AHHHH! I'm sorry this is a little later than I wanted to update, but the Super Bowl distracted me :/ (How awful was that tbh) Anyway, please continue to review/fav/ and follow and let me know what you think!**

-Chapter 11-

(Felix)

Felix was still staring at the fire when morning came. The sky was still dark and cloudy, however, threatening to spill rain drops at any moment. Lost Boys slowly began to come out of their tents and dens, filling the clearing. Chef, the Lost Boy who cooked for them (and what a creative nickname _that_ was), began to prepare the morning oatmeal, chopping apples to garnish over the top.

"Where's Peter?" a small boy asked Felix, and he sighed heavily, and stood up, getting ready to address the crowd of boys.

"Peter's going to be gone for a little while, and he put me in charge while he's gone. Nothing's changed except for the fact that he's gone, everything will proceed as normal," Felix droned on slowly in that monotonous tone of his. The boys looked curious, but nobody questioned him, and he was grateful for that.

Finally the dinner bell began to clang noisily throughout the camp, and the boys rushed towards the long table. Felix took his normal place to the left of where Peter sat, and an awkward silence ensued; the Lost Boys were still half-expecting Peter to show.

"You can start serving now, Chef," Felix commanded softly, lacking the confident authority that Peter usually had. The boy nodded slightly before obliging. When the curly haired youth stopped to serve him, Felix gestured to the empty seat across from him.

"Save a bowl for Faith," he said simply, and Chef nodded again, doing as he was told. That was the nice thing about Chef, he always did what he was told and never asked questions or raised doubts.

The rest of breakfast passed mostly in silence, the Lost Boys occasionally muttering amongst themselves. When everyone was done eating, Felix stood awkwardly and cleared his throat.

"Nibs, take care of the dishes this morning. The rest of you occupy yourselves for awhile. I've got to take care of Faith," he told the boys, who waited a few moments before standing and slowly scattering around the camp.

Felix sighed heavily again, and headed towards his leader's tree house. He found his mind wandering to the previous night, and briefly wondered what the hell had happened, before he shook the thought. _Just focus on the task at hand, Felix_. He thought gloomily, and began to climb up the tree, holding her breakfast and a cup of water in one hand.

When he threw back the curtain, Felix almost gasped out loud again. Faith was lying on the bed, facing the door. And she looked awful. Her face was flushed and sickly, and she took short, painful gasps for breaths. He stayed there for a moment, wondering what he should do, before she began hacking loudly. Felix walked slowly to her side, and looked down at her face. He realized with a pang that she was awake, and must be feeling miserable.

"How are you feeling?" Felix asked quietly, wanting to slap himself afterward. _How the fuck do you think she's feeling, dumbass?_

"Fantastic," the pale girl groaned, before she started hacking again. Felix winced at the sound; it sounded so painful, like the walls of her lungs were tearing apart. He knelt down and brushed his fingers against her forehead to feel her temperature. The skin was blazing hot, though Faith was shivering against the blankets. Felix also noted that no sparks had flown between them; she was too weak for magic.

"You're running a fever," Felix stated obviously. The girl glared at him slightly with bloodshot eyes, but didn't say anything. He gave her a weak smile before turning around and grabbing a rag off the floor and dipping it in the now cool water. He lifted the rag and wrung it out, then walked back to her and slowly began to dab at her forehead. The two stayed quiet during the exchange, each comfortable with the silence between them.

Suddenly Felix stopped and set the rag down next to the bed, before clearing his throat.

"We need to change your bandages," he mumbled, blushing slightly. He was sure that if she wasn't already flushed, she would be blushing as well, because Faith sucked in a breath before nodding. She was struggling to sit up in the bed, so Felix lent her his arm and she gratefully took it. When she was finally seated upright, they looked at each other with guarded eyes. To ease the tension, Felix handed her the glass of water, which she accepted immediately and noisily gulped at the water.

Faith handed the glass back to him after she had drunk half, and he set it on the night stand. Another moment of silence passed before Felix heaved a great sigh (that's all he seemed to do) and spoke.

"Turn around."

"What? Why?" Faith stuttered with a untrusting look in her eyes. Felix chuckled humorlessly before continuing.

"I need to change your dressings, and I'm guessing you don't want me to look at them- I mean you!" Felix corrected himself, feeling the blush creep across his face again. Faith gave him another look before slowly turning, her back to him now.

Reaching around to the front of her bandages (and trying so hard not to think or feel anything), Felix located the end of the cloth and slowly began to unravel it. He was careful to not touch her actual chest, knowing they would both die of embarrassment if he did. Finally the area was free from the bandage, and Felix stifled a gasp, again, seeing the wound on her back.

The wound was a festering eyesore, pus leaking from the sides, and blood still occasionally trickling. Blackened skin was surrounding the area as well. And if the look wasn't enough to make him gag, the smell surely did. It stank of dying flesh and infection, and it was all Felix could do not to wretch.

"Does it look bad?" he heard Faith's small voice ask in fear. _That's an understatement._ He thought grimly to himself.

"It doesn't look good," Felix admitted slowly, deciding it was no use to lie to her. He wasn't a good liar anyhow. If there was one thing he was, it was bluntly honest, and no amount of time on Neverland could change that.

Felix grabbed another rag next from the pile and dipped it in the bowl of water. He then brought it slowly to the angry looking wound, almost expecting a hiss to raise from it when he set the cloth against the hot skin. Instead, he heard Faith gasp loudly. As he began to wash the wound, he could tell Faith was holding back tears, and the thought sent another pit into his stomach.

When he was finally done (and thoroughly disgusted as well), Felix set the cloth to the side, and grabbed the bowl of the green chewed herb. He knew it well enough from dressing his own wounds. It stung like a bitch, but it did wonders at clearing up infections. Felix began to apply a generous amount of the minty smelling paste, trying to ignore Faith's whimpers of pain; not because he didn't care, but it made him feel horrible, even though he was actually helping her.

Felix finished applying the herb to the wound, and washed his hands using the water in the pot, knowing he was going to change it anyway. He grabbed another length of bandage and began to wrap her upper torso. Felix was careful with his hands again, and when finished, he handed the cloth to Faith, so she could tuck it away near her bosom.

Faith turned around and gave him a small smile, which he returned briefly; he wasn't one for overt displays of affection. Yet that was what he felt for her. Not a crush or a lust, just a fondness. He supposed it was because of the whole sister thing. Faith really did remind him of his beloved Melindre. Besides, even if he had felt something for her beyond that, he would _never _act on his feelings. He'd seen the way Peter looked at her freckled face, and he was too much like a brother to Felix.

"I brought you some breakfast. You should probably eat," Felix said suddenly handing her the bowl, trying to draw his thoughts away from Peter; it would just make him wonder about last night.

Faith hesitantly took the bowl, and brought the spoon slowly to her lips. She was only able to eat a few spoonfuls before she shoved the bowl back in his hands, a nauseated look crossing her face. It wasn't a lot that Faith had eaten, but Felix supposed it would have to do for now. The fever was most likely affecting her appetite, and he didn't need to be cleaning up her puke.

Felix turned to leaved, but was stopped when Faith grabbed his wrist suddenly, stopping him dead in his tracks. He slowly turned to her, allowing a curious expression to grace his features.

"C-could you stay for a little bit? I don't want to be alone right now?" Faith almost whispered, practically breaking his heart. He couldn't say no to those bright green eyes and gently pouting lips.

"Just for a little bit. I have to keep an eye on the camp while Peter's gone," Felix relented, pulling up the chair against the wall, leaning back, and resting his feet on the bed.

"Peter's gone?" Faith asked. _That's weird. Why doesn't she know he left?_

"Yeah, he left last night. Said he'd be gone for a little while, and he had to figure some things out," Felix blurted out, wondering why he was even telling her this. Maybe it was because of the genuinely hurt expression he had seen on Faith's face when he said Peter had left.

"Oh," Faith replied, lying back down on the bed, seemingly defeated. And so they stayed in silence, until Felix noticed her breathing slow (although it still sounded ragged and painful) and her eyes fluttered shut. He watched her peaceful sleeping form for a few minutes before he quietly got up and exited the tree house.

Rain was pouring down from the swollen sky now, thunder booming occasionally with a flash of lightening. _Something's really bothering Peter_. Felix noted as he dodged a swaying branch on his way down the side of the tree.

The camp looked deserted, as all the boys had gone to their tents and huts to escape the rain. Not wanting to sit around all day, Felix looked around the clearing, trying to think of something fun for them to do. With a grin, he noticed giant puddles of mud forming in about the camp, perfect for wrestling in.

"Alright, boys, who wants to play a game?" Felix yelled, throwing his hands in the air, hoping this would provide a perfect distraction for the dismal circumstances.

* * *

~Faith~

Faith drifted in and out of consciousness for the rest of the day, sometimes dreaming vividly of Peter's angry face. When she wasn't dreaming, she was shivering in a fevered haze, teeth chattering, yet sweating horribly. Occasionally she could hear joyous shouts coming from outside the windows, but otherwise it was just the steady downpour of rain against the rooftop that met her ears.

Her head felt like a huge ball of cotton, and her mouth felt impossibly dry, even though she continued to sip on the glass of water Felix had left for her. Her limbs were weak and sluggish, and her movements felt delayed, like she was in slow motion. Most of all, though, the pain from her arrow wound hurt the most, stinging and throbbing every couple of seconds. It was a wonder she was able to sleep at all through the pain; she guessed it was her fever that granted that.

Faith's thoughts drifted back to her interaction with Felix earlier in the day (she couldn't say exactly when, because the dark sky made it hard to tell). For somebody who didn't seem to care about anything, Felix had been awfully tender with her. He looked at her like he actually cared, like he didn't want to see her hurt.

She noticed, though, that the look wasn't the same as Peter's look. The look in Peter's eyes was intense, and sometimes he would look at her in such a way that shivers ran down her spine. Like when his hands had been on her last night (how long ago that had seemed), she felt a strange fire began to grow in her stomach, one that she had never felt before. She was somewhat uncomfortable with the touch, but she didn't want it to stop either. And his breath against her neck had only intensified that, even adding a growing tension near her bladder. Faith had never felt these things before, and that had scared her.

But with Felix, there was no spark or flame between them. She still cared for Felix, just in a brotherly sort of way. He was very much like the brother she had never had, although Teddy had been very close. Faith felt protected when Felix was around, and knew he would never hurt her.

Felix returned again some time later (Faith still had no idea of the exact time), this time with fish, although her nausea had not lessened. It seemed her fever hadn't either, as chills still ran throughout her body. Felix cleaned her wound and changed her dressing again, still being careful not to hurt her, and urged her to eat. Faith was only able to take a few bites again before her stomach clenched unpleasantly and she was forced to stop. He made her drink the full cup of water as a result.

"You need to keep your fluids up if you want to fight this infection," Felix said knowingly. So she gulped greedily, hoping to finally quench her dry mouth.

Faith lay back on the bed, exhausted by simply sitting up and turned towards Felix, who was preparing to leave again. One look back at the pathetic look on her face, and Felix stopped, sighing, although it looked like he was fighting back a small smile. He took his place by the chair next to her bed and propped his feet up again, leaning back against the wall and watching her with a careful look on his face.

"I'm sorry if I am taking you away from your responsibilities as a leader. I just really don't want to be alone right now," Faith admitted, not looking in Felix's eyes. She wasn't sure why, but she was craving social proximity right now. Normally, Faith was happy to sit in her room alone for hours. But lately, she found being totally alone slightly repulsive. That's not to say she wanted to be surrounded by the Lost Boys (the thought made her sick), but she also didn't want to spend her miserable, sickly days by herself. Felix shrugged slightly before answering.

"It's no big deal. There won't be a campfire tonight anyway, because of the rain," Felix replied nonchalantly.

"Does it rain a lot here?" Faith asked curiously, noting that Neverland usually seemed somewhat dry, even if it was humid.

"Only when Peter's upset," Felix smirked in response. She didn't say anything to that, not quite knowing what he meant. The thought of Peter and his bizarre display last night only made her more confused and sad. They stayed silent for awhile, before Faith felt compelled to say something for whatever reason.

"...Thank you," she said hesitantly. Felix didn't say anything, he just simply looked a little uncomfortable. Faith felt an overwhelming tiredness hit her, and she settled into her blankets. She was almost asleep when she thought she heard Felix's reply, so she couldn't be sure if it was a dream or not.

"...You're welcome, Faith."

* * *

[Wendy]

Wendy was careful to stay in the alcove on the side of the mountain, trying to avoid being seen by Pan, but she felt her patience wearing thin. She knew that the best revenge took time, but seeing the same damn stone walls everyday was getting old. The only comfort she found was when Peter's shadow visited her every night to update her.

It would have been very easy to take over the island as soon as she had arrived, but where was the fun in that? There would have been no revenge in simply taking what she felt was hers. Wendy wanted to see Peter Pan suffer, and suffer he would. She was going to feed off his misery if it was the last thing she ever did.

With a pang of annoyance, Wendy noted that Pan's shadow was late. It visited roughly the same time every night, when the moon was at its highest point in the sky, as it was now, yet it had not arrived still. Wendy felt her irritation growing, clawing at her from the inside, threatening to spill out. She had to keep silent, though; if Pan found her before she could enact her plan, all would be lost.

After another long while, with Wendy anxiously pacing the cave floors, the shadow finally arrived, standing before her with a wild look in it's eyes. Something was wrong; it seemed paler than usual, and its eyes were somewhat frightened. She knew that look: it had been severely tortured. There was only one way you could physically harm a shadow.

"No," Wendy uttered slightly in disbelief as she realized what this meant. Peter Pan could practice the dark arts at a level she could. There was no way she could overpower him now; you cannot fight darkness with more darkness.

"I'm afraid so," the shadow answered after a few minutes, seemingly still in shock.

"I-don't understand...how?" Wendy asked in confusion, unable to even string words together properly.

"When extremely upset, he can enact his powers," The shadow answered guiltily, as if it knew something she didn't. Suddenly Wendy realized what he meant.

"So this is _your _fault?!" she snarled viciously, taking a threatening step closer, her arms sparking dangerously. The shadow backed up again, its hands raised in defense.

"I was trying to get into his head. Make him emotionally unstable. I promise he will be more useful to you that way, seeing that you cannot fight him," the shadow hurriedly explained, closing its eyes in fear.

Wendy mediated on this for a moment. Perhaps this was what she needed to do; weaken Peter Pan from the inside out. The shadow was right, she could not best him with magic, but she could toy with his emotions.

"I'm guessing the girl is his weakness?" Wendy asked, feeling a little less angry with the shadow.

"Yes, and his need for total power and control," it answered obligingly, causing Wendy to smile maliciously. She almost appeared feral in the dank cave lighting, with her wild hair and dirty skin.

"Excellent. We must continue to mess with his inferior little mind. He may be cunning, but he's a damn coward as well." Wendy replied, finally lowering her hands.

"However, if you pull something like this again, I will not hesitate to kill you. Your kind is not in short supply on this island," she continued threateningly, pointing a dirty finger his way. The shadow simply nodded and left, flying off into the dark night sky.

Wendy smiled to herself as she began to think up a brilliant new plan. If she could cause severe emotional damage to Pan, she could manipulate him like putty. If Wendy had learned anything from her time on Earth, it was that men are the weakest species of them all.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: So sorry it's been a couple of days! I've had busy work days, so I wasn't able to update. I'm going to try to triple update tonight for y'all! I'm really excited to have over 30 followers on the story! You guys rock! Here's the first part, more to come later. Let me know what you think!**

-Chapter 12-

(Felix)

The rest of the week seemed to pass by painfully slowly for Felix. Rain poured from the skies every single day, the clouds swollen and dark. After a few days, the mud wrestling got old, so the Lost Boys decided to fight _with_ the mud instead of _in _it. The camp was already filthy, but add in the factor of young boys throwing mud at each other, and the clearing became downright appalling.

Felix would have been able to enjoy himself had he not been so worried about Peter. And to make matters worse, Faith's condition was not improving. She couldn't break her fever, and Felix noticed her body was covered in a constant sheen of sweat. And he would never say anything to her face, but Faith was beginning to smell; she hadn't bathed in over a week. The smell of the festering wound did not improve anything, either. He felt so bad for her, in her clearly miserable state. Faith refused to eat more than a few bites of anything, and she still seemed in agony just to breathe.

Felix awoke to another dreary and sunless sky; it had been a full week since Peter had left. Normally the time passage on Neverland wasn't noticeable, but with Peter absent and Faith sick, Felix couldn't help but count the days in misery. Even the boys seemed listless, some just laying in their tents watching the rain.

As usual, they all ate breakfast in silence (Felix and Chef had finally erected a blanket over the dinner table so they could all still eat together in the rain), and Felix asked for an extra serving for Faith. Then one of the Lost Boys took care of the dishes, while the rest went off to play, and Felix headed to Peter's tree house to take care of Faith.

He briefly remembered as he climbed up the knotted trunk, how Peter had said to find Tinkerbell again if Faith's condition hadn't improved. Felix had thought about just leaving to find her today, but decided he would give the girl the benefit of the doubt and check on her instead.

When he reached the top and pulled back the curtain, Felix could not say he was surprised. Faith was still laying in the same spot, her face dreadfully pale, and hair in messy knots splayed around her. She took short, gasping breaths and her face was screwed up in pain. It smelled like sickness in the small tree house, and Felix was trying so hard not to gag. He didn't want her to feel bad when she was already sick as hell.

"Rise and shine," Felix softly announced his arrival, setting the bowl of oatmeal on the nightstand (as he had the past seven fucking days, he noted bitterly). Faith groaned in response and struggled to open her eyes. Her movements were still sluggish, and she was reluctant to put any pressure on her back.

When the time came to change her bandages, Felix had no doubt in his mind that he needed to find Tinkerbell as soon as possible. The wound was still ugly and oozing pus, giving off a noxious smell that would even put off the most stoic of Lost Boys. Felix could tell that Faith was struggling to keep herself upright, so he held her by the shoulder to keep her steady. She had even begun to fall back asleep before he had finished rewrapping the cloth, resting her head against his shoulder, so Felix had to gently nudge her awake and get her to try to eat a few bites of the oatmeal. Surely she must have been starving, but the infection taking hold of her body would not permit nourishment.

Instead of staying with Faith while she slept, Felix decided to leave for Tinkerbell's immediately. He would have felt bad had she not passed out the second he turned his back. He smiled slightly before exiting the tree house, noticing that she was curled in a ball on her side. The appearance reminded him of a sleepy kitten.

Felix grabbed his club and announced he was leaving to the group of Lost Boys who were still in the clearing. Some of them looked jealous that he was leaving, while they had to stay cooped up in the same campsite. Felix had thought about moving to another spot, but he wasn't sure if Peter would be upset or not, and he really didn't want to piss off Peter if he was already in a mood.

Off he went through the slick forest, slipping occasionally because of the damp ground, his shoeless feet covered in thick mud. The undergrowth lessened the effect of the downpour, but he still felt heavy drops on his hood and shoulders. His clothing felt soaked, and even though it was humid, he felt a random chill pass through his body.

He finally came across Tinkerbell's hut, which thankfully had smoke rising from the chimney. She was probably cooped up as much as anybody else on this damn island. Felix walked up to the door and knocked, this time waiting for an invitation inside.

The door was peeped open a crack, and he saw a wide blue eye staring at him curiously. After she realized who it was, she opened the door a bit more and quirked an eyebrow at him.

"What do you want?" Tink asked in her peculiar accent. She still seemed weary around him, as though he would turn around and attack her at any moment.

"It's about Faith," Felix replied, trying to be brief so she would let him inside. The rain was pouring down on him right now, and he felt like a wet dog. She stared at him for a few seconds before relenting and opening the door wide enough for him to squeeze through.

Felix felt the warmth of the fire on his skin, and pulled his hood down, shaking his head like he _was_ a wet dog, spraying the small hut with droplets of water. Tinkerbell gasped at him and shot him a dirty glare, to which he smirked. Felix settled down in a small chair by the fire and stretched his legs out before him, his hands rested on his head.

"You said you came here about Faith?" Tinkerbell asked in annoyance, when several minutes of silence had passed. Felix nodded slightly, wishing he could just stay and relax in front of the fire.

"Well?!" the blond fairy prompted irritably. Felix fought back a smirk before looking at her seriously.

"She's not getting better, Tink," he told her, looking out of the small hut window at the rain. His thoughts briefly flickered to Peter, wondering what was going through his temperamental mind.

"Faith's not improved at all?" Tinkerbell questioned worriedly. By now the anti-infection herb had usually done the trick, but this didn't seem to be a normal case.

"Nope," Felix replied, popping his lips on the "p". He tried to seem nonchalant, but he was really worried inside.

"That's strange. It must be one hell of a wound," Tinkerbell said, more to herself than to than blond boy in front of her. Felix nodded again and the two fell silent.

"So what are you going to do?" Felix spoke up again, startling the fairy beside him.

"Well I should probably take a look at it myself, before coming up with a game plan, but if it's anything like I think it is..." she trailed off, lost in her own fretful thoughts.

"Yeah..?" Felix said, this time his turn to be annoyed.

"We'll need something much stronger than Fairy Weed."

"The hell is Fairy Weed?" Felix asked, his face contorted in confusion.

"The anti-infection herb. You didn't think it was actually just called anti-infection herb, did you?" Tink snorted, finding the boys ignorance amusing.

"Why do they call it Fairy Weed?" Felix asked her, ignoring the jib at his expense.

"In the old days, people who didn't agree with healing from the fairies would use the plant as the next best thing," the woman replied. They sat in silence for another few awkward moments before Felix stood up and stretched.

"Let's go," he commanded, making his way to the door.

"What, now?!" Tinkerbell shouted, annoyed that he was telling her what to do. Nobody told Tinkerbell what to do.

"Yeah, she's not exactly getting any better," Felix retorted.

"Fine, fine, just let me get my bag," Tinkerbell sighed irritably, grabbing her satchel off the back of one of the chairs.

Felix led the way out, and the two set off at a fast pace through the forest. He was surprised how fast Tinkerbell was, even in the slick conditions. She was incredibly light on her feet, and navigated the woods as though she knew them like the back of her hand. She _had_ been on Neverland a while; you either adapt or you give up and die.

The two blonds reached the campsite in no time flat, though they were both heaving their chests by that time. The Lost Boys looked both surprised and excited to have somebody new come to the camp. Some of them even approached the two, but Felix waved them off in annoyance; they had no time to be distracted. Felix led the way towards Peter's tree house and swiftly climbed, Tinkerbell behind him.

When they entered the room, Faith was lying face down on the floor, groaning in pain. The two rushed to her side in a frantic worry.

"What the hell happened?! Are you okay?!" Felix practically screamed at Faith, who winced at the volume of his voice.

"I-I was trying to-to leave to use the bathroom, and it hurt s-so bad I fell and c-couldn't get back up," Faith stuttered quietly, struggling to focus her eyes on the two figures in front of her.

"Oh, sweetheart, let me help you," Tinkerbell said sympathetically, helping the sickly girl to her feet.

"Do you need...y'know...help?" Felix asked awkwardly, really hoping she would say no. He had avoided helping Faith with that aspect, simply because it would have been traumatic for the both of them.

"I've got her, don't worry. We'll be right back," the blond fairy said, leading Faith down the side of the tree house. Felix breathed a sigh of relief and settled down in a chair by the bookcase.

After a few minutes the two returned, Tinkerbell practically carrying Faith up the side of the tree. Felix rushed over to help, and led Faith to the bed, where she promptly collapsed. To his surprise, Tinkerbell hit him on the shoulder.

"Ow! What the hell was that for?" He asked angrily, rubbing the spot where she hit him.

"You've been letting her do that by herself for the past week!? What the hell is wrong with you!?" Tinkerbell yelled, giving him a ferocious look. Felix shrank back involuntarily, startled by the small woman's loud demeanor.

"I don't know! I forgot she...I mean, I figured..." Felix stammered, trying to find a valid excuse.

"You what?! You forgot she's a human being with human needs?! She can't just pee out a window like you can!" Tinkerbell shouted again, pointing a threatening finger in his face. He was probably a foot taller than her, but she might as well have been 8-feet tall in her anger.

"I've never peed out a window," Felix defended softly, a smirk crossing his face. His comment made Tinkerbell's eyes bulge out of her head. She was about to reply when they heard Faith begin to hack loudly. They both rushed to her side, forgetting about their previous spat.

"I-is everything o-okay?" Faith struggled to say in between coughs.

"Everything's fine, love, I'm just going to take a look at your wound," Tinkerbell said soothingly, stroking Faith's ratty hair. She began to unwind the bandages from Faith's body, and stifled a gasp when they fell. The wound still looked the same to Felix, but he remembered that Tinkerbell hadn't been here for a week.

"W-what's wrong?" Faith turned her head slightly, looking at the two with worried, blood-shot eyes.

"Shhh, shhh, it's alright, sweetheart, I'm just redressing your wound," Tinkerbell soothed. When she went to gather the rest of the supplies she glared at Felix.

"Are you _sure _you've been using the Fairy Weed _every_ time?" Tinkerbell hissed at him.

"Yes! I'm not stupid!" Felix whispered harshly back.

"Could've fooled me," the fairy muttered under her breath, and Felix narrowed his eyes. Before he could retort, she walked back to Faith and began to redress the wound. Felix felt his anger steam at the young woman. _Who does she think she is?_

When she was done redressing the wound, Tinkerbell sat on the bed beside Faith, singing softly and stroking her hair. Felix noted that she had a pleasant voice; he could've listened to it for hours. When the girl had fallen asleep, Tinkerbell gave her a final sympathetic look before getting up and exiting the tree house, Felix close behind.

"Well, what's the verdict?" Felix asked once they were sitting at the dinner table, feeling as glum as the rain falling down around them.

"It's not good at all," Tinkerbell heaved a sigh before continuing. "The Fairy Weed isn't strong enough, and magic doesn't work on her either."

"So is there anything we can do for her?" Felix asked worriedly, almost dreading the answer.

"There is...but it's risky," the blond fairy replied, biting her nails.

"Okay, what is it?" the scarred teen prompted.

"There's this legend, back in the Enchanted Forest, of a flower that can heal any wound. It's said to have been made when a drop of sunshine fell from the sky one day," Tink began. Felix snorted derisively, and she gave him a glare before continuing. "It's said to always grow on mountains, or cliff faces, so as to be as close to the sun as possible."

"Mt. Abercus," Felix replied, indicating the large elevation located in the center of Neverland.

"Exactly. If there was any place the flower would be growing, that would be it."

"So you're suggesting a flower that may or may not exist in this realm, based on a legend of a flower that may or may not exist in another realm? Brilliant," Felix said to the blond woman sarcastically, earning a kick in the leg.

"It's the only thing I've got to go on, smart ass," Tinkerbell glared lethally at him.

"What about the spring?" Felix asked, rubbing his leg where Tink had kicked him.

"The spring runs on the magic of Neverland, which doesn't seem to affect Faith. We can certainly try, but my hopes aren't high for that one. Plus, there's the drawback of never being able to leave Neverland," Tinkerbell replied glumly.

"So you're going to search for this supposed flower, then?" Felix asked her.

"Oh no, no. You're coming with me too," Tinkerbell replied, giving him a serious look.

"Why the hell do I have to go with you?" Felix asked again, not anxious to have to suffer from the fairy's sharp wit.

"It's a two person job! The terrain is dangerous, and we have to climb the mountain, which should not be done alone. Believe me, if I could go by myself I would. I'm not exactly thrilled to have to travel with you," Tinkerbell said, distastefully glancing at him.

"Well you're going to have to go alone, I can't leave the campsite unguarded. Peter left _me_ in charge, and you don't defy his orders!"

"Yeah, I learned that the hard way," He heard Tinkerbell mutter almost inaudibly.

"What was that?" Felix inquired, gritting his teeth. _She's got some nerve_.

"Nothing," the woman dismissed with a wave of her hand, continuing before Felix could say anything back. "We'll just have to wait until Peter returns, then."

"Why don't you just go with one of the other boys," Felix questioned, rubbing his eyes. He hadn't been sleeping well this past week.

"I trust them even less then I trust you. Besides, you seem to be the oldest amongst the boys, and I need someone who is at least a fraction of the maturity that I am," Tinkerbell insulted disdainfully, looking at the group of Lost Boys eying them curiously.

"I don't know when Peter's supposed to return." Felix replied doubtfully, still ignoring her insults.

"Well, it better be soon. If things continue at this rate, Faith won't last more than a few days," Tinkerbell said in return, a worried look crossing her usually stoic face. Felix felt a pit in his stomach. No, he was not going to go through this again. He willed Peter to return soon, even if Felix had to drag him to camp.

* * *

-Peter-

Peter sat in the familiar trunk of his thinking tree, a scowl on his face. The skies reflected his fowl mood, pouring rain at an unforgivable rate. He was staring over the nearby cliff, watching the waves of the ocean churn madly.

This was where Peter had been for most of the week. Occasionally he would pace around his tree, chewing the inside of his lip, and ignoring the branches swaying ominously. For the most part, though, he sat in a fork in the branch, stewing. His mind was racing at a thousand thoughts per second, none of them positive.

One thought kept circling through his mind, much to his annoyance: Faith. Her sweet, pale face swirled around his brain, giving him chills. _Damn it. Damn that stupid adorable face_. He would scold himself, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Peter was more confused than he had ever been in his entire life. Confusion was not something familiar to Peter; he had always been confident in himself, but now...he wasn't so sure. Something about Faith made him question his every move and his heart race. And he had no idea why.

His thoughts flickered briefly to the conversation that he had shared with Felix before he left. Felix's answer had confused him even further (and made him seriously pity Felix's fucked up childhood). Peter wanted nothing more than to spend time with Faith, and see her happy, but his understanding had always been that love made a person weak. Was he weak? _You heard what your shadow said, you pathetic imbecile._ His mind screamed at him.

The fact that his own shadow found him weak was enough to piss Peter off even further. He thought back to the incident in his tree house. The magic he had displayed when the shadow pushed him over the edge slightly frightened him. It was a magic that he had never felt before; it made his previous knowledge of magic seem elementary. But seeing the look in Faith's eyes after he had finished torturing his shadow made all of that power drain away. And Peter was right back to wear he started: hopelessly confused.

Peter sighed in frustration and wished he knew what he was supposed to do. On the one hand, he had finally found a power that he'd been craving since he was a small orphan boy, who had no say in his life. On the other hand, there was Faith, and her plump lips and soft skin that made Peter simultaneously smile and want to watch those lips fall open into a perfect circle, just for him. Both were equally as attractive to him, both were something he had craved for some time: power and love.

Something held Peter back from ignoring his power, however, and choosing Faith's approval. The magic potential he felt was extraordinary, and he felt stronger than ever. But with Faith, he felt sensitive and vulnerable, which he detested. The other kids had always teased him when he was younger, pushed him in the ground and laughed when he cried. Never again would he feel that weak.

The light was beginning to fade when Peter made his decision: he would go with what he knew. And that was power and suffering. Besides, he didn't even know if Faith felt the same about him. There was no use destroying himself if Faith found him repulsive. Faith didn't deserve someone like him anyway. She deserved someone as wonderful and nice as herself; not a deranged psychopath.

Peter resolutely nodded to himself, and stood up, stretching. The rain was fading to a light drizzle, his decision finally easing his mood. He walked towards the forest, getting ready to hike back to the campsite. Peter simply could have poofed himself there, but he still needed the extra thinking time, and he hoped to arrive by the time everyone was fast asleep, Faith especially.

The ground was slick under his feet, but years of practice gave Peter the advantage of knowing which spots to avoid; he knew Neverland like the back of his hand. He hopped over the muddy piles on the ground and slid underneath low-hanging branches with ease, his mood picking up in the familiar surroundings.

The rain had stopped completely and the sky was dark when he arrived at the campsite. The Lost Boys were trying to start a fire, and he almost felt bad at how pathetic they seemed. _They probably feel grateful for magic now_. Peter thought with a smirk. He settled down in the treeline, waiting until everybody decided to fall asleep before he would reappear again.

* * *

~Faith~

Faith groaned when she saw light peeping through the curtains. Everything was still too bright and loud in her weakened state. The sky outside was dark, however, so she assumed the Boys had lit a fire. _Which meant it stopped raining, finally. _

She saw Tinkerbell step through, and give her a soft smile. Faith was grateful to have the blond woman taking care of her. It wasn't that Felix was a bad caretaker, he was just...forgetful sometimes. The fairy sat next to Faith on the bed, stroking her hair, which made Faith bristle slightly. She knew it was a kind gesture, but the contact still made her uneasy.

"How are you feeling, love?" Tinkerbell asked her. Faith could only groan again in response. She felt too weak to even form a coherent sentence.

"What do you say to getting cleaned up a bit?" Tinkerbell inquired, making Faith light up a bit. There was nothing more she wanted then to take a nice hot shower and wash the dirt from her skin, but Faith suspected there were no showers here, and even if there were, she was far too weak. Faith nodded slowly, a smile forming on her cracked lips.

"I thought so," Tinkerbell giggled, helping the girl up off the bed. "There's a hot spring not far from here. We can wash these as well." She continued, taking the sheets from the bed after Faith had stood on wobbly legs. Tink helped Faith down the tree house, before returning to get the bedding.

"H-how'm gonna get there?" Faith mumbled softly, already feeling her legs beginning to tire.

"Felix can carry you there," Tinkerbell replied loud enough for the blond teen to hear. He stood from his spot by the fire and walked over, glaring at the fairy.

"What's this about Felix?" he asked moodily. Faith figured he didn't like taking orders from someone other than Peter.

"You're going to give Faith a piggy back to the springs for me," Tinkerbell said cheerily, folding the blankets over her arm.

"Does Felix get a say in this?" Felix asked sarcastically, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Oh, come on. You're really going to deny this poor girl a bath?" the blond woman responded, gesturing to Faith with a sad look on her face. Felix looked at Faith and she saw something soften in his expression. Rolling his eyes and uncrossing his arms, he walked over to Faith, who felt like she was going to fall over. He leaned down to her level and turned around.

"Hop on," he commanded, trying to sound as if this greatly irritated him, though Faith could see a slight smile playing on his mouth. Faith stepped up and mustered all of her strength to jump on his back, which wasn't much. Felix slung his arms around the backs of her legs, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, too tired to care about anything anymore, and rested her head on his shoulder.

As they made their way through the forest, Faith drifted in and out of consciousness. She was only aware of the dark trees around them and the soft movements of Felix's steps. It could have taken hours or minutes to get there, and Faith wouldn't have known the difference. Suddenly she felt Felix's back rumble against her head, and realized he was speaking to her.

"We're here," he said simply, lowering her down gently to the ground. She stood bleary eyed and took in her surroundings.

The were in a small clearing, though in this one the trees were tall enough to cover the sky above them (unlike the clearing back at the campsite). Tinkerbell had lit torches around the area, revealing a steamy, rocky pool of water on the ground before them. The spring was bubbling merrily, and had Faith been feeling better, she would have jumped right in.

"I'll give you ladies some privacy," Felix said, nodding his head before disappearing into the forest.

Tinkerbell turned to her and smiled sympathetically. Faith got the message and slowly began to strip from her clothes, feeling slightly embarrassed under the fairy's watchful gaze. Tinkerbell walked over and unwrapped the bandage for Faith. She then led the weak girl over to the edge of the spring and eased her slowly.

Faith felt the deliciously warm water cover her entire body and almost moaned; it was heavenly. She sat there for a good while, simply feeling the bubbling texture over her skin, before Tinkerbell handed her a spongy looking fruit. Faith threw her a questioning look as she took it in her hands.

"We call that a bath fruit back home. You rub it over your body like soap," Tinkerbell explained with a smile.

Faith brought the fruit to her nose and inhaled its scent, reminding her strongly of mango. She tentatively rubbed it across her skin, and was delighted at the sensation. It really did feel like soap. Faith continued to rub it over her body, washing away the sweat and dirt. At this point, she hadn't lowered her upper back in the water, afraid that it would sting. Tinkerbell seemed to sense that and came over.

"Here, let me get your back. This might sting a bit," Tinkerbell warned as she took the soap from Faith's hands. The blond woman dipped the fruit into the warm water, then dragged it back up to the wound on Faith's back.

Faith hissed in the burning pain through her shoulders, trying to listen to Tinkerbell's soothing voice as a distraction. Slowly, Tinkerbell cleaned the wound, and pushed down slightly on Faith's shoulders, indicating for her to dip her back in the water. Faith gritted her teeth and lowered her body, feeling the wound practically hiss when it met the water, sparking tears in her eyes. Tinkerbell soothingly stroked her shoulder, but it only set Faith further on edge.

"Lean back your head, sweetie, I'm going to wash your hair now," Tinkerbell said softly.

Faith dipped her hair back, trying to ignore the searing pain emanating throughout her body. Her nerve endings were on fire, and weak sparks erupted from her skin. It didn't seem to bother Tinkerbell, however, as she continued to scrub Faith's scalp fiercely. The pain from the scrubbing and the searing of her wound was proving too much, and an explosion of energy erupted from her body, filling the small clearing with yellow light. Tinkerbell yelped and snatched her hands back.

"I-I'm sorry, Tink. I-it just hurt r-really bad," Faith stuttered, even more exhausted after the energy had coursed through her body. She didn't like how powerful and frightening it made her feel.

"Oh, it's alright. Just startled me," Tinkerbell said softly. She continued to rinse Faith's hair, being much more gentle this time, and when she was done, helped Faith out of the spring. Tinkerbell handed Faith a large cloak for her to dry off in.

"The best part about bath fruit is you can eat it when you're done bathing!" Tinkerbell exclaimed, handing Faith the spongy, melon-scented fruit.

Faith hesitantly took a bite and felt juice dribble down her chin; it was a little too sweet, but otherwise delicious. She continued to take bites as she watched Tinkerbell scrub the bedding and clothing she had brought with them.

When she was done, she hung the clothing and bedding around the clearing to dry. She turned back to Faith and gave her a triumphant smile.

"I'll come back for this stuff later. Let's get you back home," Tink smiled, bringing her fingers to her lips a giving a sharp whistle. Felix appeared in the clearing suddenly, looking annoyed.

"I'm not a dog, you know," Felix snapped, glaring at the short blond woman.

"A dog always comes when called," She responded cheerily and began walking away. Faith saw Felix clench his hands and sigh. He walked over to Faith and let her on his back again, and they headed back to camp in silence.

When Faith and Felix arrived back, Tinkerbell was waiting anxiously for them, holding some clothing in her hand. She smiled and shot up to Peter's tree house. Felix sighed again, and climbed up the tree with Faith still clinging to him like a koala, afraid that if she let go, she would fall and break something.

Felix set her down when they reached the top and promptly left, not before giving Tinkerbell a reproachful glare. Tinkerbell grinned and handed Faith the clothing.

"You can get dressed in these, I'll go get you some new bedding," Tink said as she disappeared through the door. Faith threw the cloak off of her and dressed in the clothing. It was another pair of pants similar to the ones she had been wearing earlier, and a tank top. Faith noted that apparently there were no bras on Neverland, and she felt a little uncomfortable at being so free. She heard voices arguing softly outside, and smiled a little when she recognized Felix and Tinkerbell's voices.

"Would you just hold the damn blanket?! You can hand it to me when I climb up!" Tinkerbell's voice said angrily.

"I'm already holding the sheets and pillows! I've only got two fucking arms," came Felix's irritated reply.

Suddenly the two burst through the curtain, staring daggers at each other. Felix was barely distinguishable from the blankets piled high around him, and Tinkerbell glared at him with her hands on her hips.

"Well aren't you going to take them?!" Felix yelled, his voice slightly muffled from the cloth he held.

"Just set it down, you wimp!" Tinkerbell shouted back. He abruptly dropped the blankets and glared at the small blond woman.

"Oh, please, you carried Faith for longer than that!" Tink rolled her eyes, picking up the blankets and starting to make the bed.

"Whatever," Felix growled before stalking out of the room. Faith was tempted to giggle at his plight, but she still felt too weak to do more than stand there unsteadily.

"Okay, it's ready!" Tinkerbell announced when she had made the bed. Faith would have run if she could have, but she walked slowly towards the bed, flopping down pathetically when she reached it. Tinkerbell smiled and laid the blanket over Faith, tucking her in slightly.

"What about my bandages?" Faith asked the blond woman weakly, struggling to stay awake.

"We'll let it air out tonight, love. Just focus on sleep tonight," Tinkerbell replied, her voice becoming fuzzy as Faith drifted off to sleep.

When she woke up in the middle of the night, Faith felt like somebody was watching her, she turned her head slightly and noticed a figure by the door. Her heart raced, wondering who it could be. Suddenly it clicked; those broad shoulders, narrow waist, long legs, confident posture. It was Peter Pan. And he seemed to be getting ready to leave.

"Peter!" Faith piped up in a scratchy voice. She didn't know why, but she was really excited to see him. She heard him swear under his breath before turning back to her.

"What?" he asked coldly, causing a shiver to flow through her.

"Where have you been?" she asked tentatively, sitting up in the bed and letting the covers fall back. His cold demeanor was throwing her off.

"What do you care?" Peter replied with a snarl, and Faith felt tears prick her eyes. _Why is he being so mean? Did I do something wrong?_

"I-I'm sorry, I was just wond-" she began, stumbling over her words.

"Well don't. I'll just sleep somewhere else tonight," Peter spat, and promptly left, as if he had never been there. Faith sat in a stunned silence, wondering what the hell had got in to Peter.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Okay so here is the second chapter as promised. I really need to get to bed, though, because I work a 9 to 5 shift tomorrow, so unfortunately I can't triple update. I will definitely try to double update! Thanks to all you faved, followed, and reviewed and as always let me know what cha think! :)**

-Chapter 13-

-Peter-

Peter watched from the trees as the activity in the campsite slowed. All of the Lost Boys had eventually gone to their respective beds, leaving Felix staring at the starred sky in front of the fire. Peter fought back a smirk as he watched his second-in-command guard the clearing. He could always rely on Felix for anything he needed.

When Felix finally closed his eyes, Peter crept from his hiding spot and headed to his tree house , taking quiet steps around his friend. He didn't want to talk to anybody right now, not even Felix. His wish, however, did not come true as Felix flicked an eye open and smirked.

"Back so soon?" his friend chuckled, in an attempt to dispel the tension.

"I'm really not in the mood right now, Felix," Peter snapped back, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Did you at least get things figured out?" Felix asked, actually wondering for the sake of his friend.

"More or less," was all Peter said in reply, walking towards his tree house to end the conversation. He heard Felix get up behind him and head to his own tent. Peter climbed the tree, wanting nothing more than a good night's sleep.

That wish also went down the drain, when he saw Faith sleeping in his bed. _Dammit._ He swore to himself; he'd forgotten that she hadn't actually had her own bed. He watched her sleep for a few minutes, unsure why he even was doing so. He watched her back rise and fall, and briefly wondered if her wound was doing any better. _No, Peter, you've made your decision_. He thought, turning to leave.

"Peter!" he heard Faith exclaim, and it made his skin heat up. He swore softly under his breath; there was no way he could ignore her now. He turned around and gathered up his courage, sticking his chin proudly in the air.

"What?" he asked her coldly, flinching when he saw her face fall in the soft moonlight shining through the window.

"Where have you been?" Faith asked in a small voice, sitting up in the bed, and it was all he could do not to ogle her. Her soft shoulders reflected in the moon, and her nipples were protruding through her tee, making a shiver run down his spine. He wished he could feel her perky breasts in his hands; kneed the soft flesh and watch her unravel. He shook his hand to clear his mind. There it was again, the weakness.

"What do you care?" He snarled back, angry that he had lost his resolve so quickly. Again, Faith seemed taken aback, and her eyes appeared shiny, as if holding back tears. The thought put a pit in his stomach, which he tried to ignore.

"I-I'm sorry, I was just wond-" She began, but he cut her off rudely.

"Well don't. I'll just sleep somewhere else tonight," and with that he promptly left the tree house, rage coursing through him.

Why was she apologizing to him?! Sweet, sweet Faith apologizing to a monster like him. For some reason it pissed him off. He didn't deserve to be apologized to, especially when he had been so rude to her. Yet still, she had said sorry, and it made him feel terrible.

The trees swayed ominously ahead, and the clouds threatened rain again. Peter sat on a log near the fire and placed his head in his hands. What was he going to do? Faith was proving to be much harder to resist than he thought possible. But he couldn't let himself succumb to the weakness, not this easily anyway.

He lie down by the side of the fire and put his hands underneath his head, at least glad to be back home. Peter drifted off to sleep, thoughts of Faith dancing in his head.

When Peter woke up in the morning, he was surrounded by Lost Boys. He sat up in surprise, rubbing his eyes fiercely, slightly annoyed to have had people watching him sleep.

"You're back! You're back!" The boys chanted happily, cheering and whooping. Peter's annoyance turned into happiness as he watched his Lost Boys excitement. It was quite contagious.

"Yes, I'm back. Now give me some space," Peter chuckled appreciatively, pushing himself to his feet and stretching slightly. He had no more than stood for a few seconds, when the tiny blond form of Tinkerbell popped into his view.

"Good you're back!" Tink said, although she didn't actually sound all that pleased.

"Yes, I think we've established that," Peter responded, smirking slightly. The Lost Boys laughed raucously around him.

"Perfect. Now you can watch Faith, while Felix and I head to Mt. Abercus," the woman responded, wisely ignoring the boys' laughter.

"Excuse me?" Peter frowned, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"You heard me," Tinkerbell challenged, raising an eyebrow. Peter growled and shoved his face close to hers, baring his teeth threateningly.

"Who the hell are you to order me around?!" He snarled fiercely. Tinkerbell hardly blinked and stared at him with equal ferocity.

"Look, if you want Faith to live, you'll listen to what I have to say!" The fairy shouted back, angry that Peter wasn't listening to her.

"What the hell's that supposed to mean?!" Peter replied, feeling his rage build inside. The Lost Boys flicked their heads comically back and forth between the two figures, as if watching a ping pong match.

"If you'd take your head out of your ass, you would've noticed she's not doing well _at all_. Felix and I are headed to try to find a cure on Mt. Abercus, and somebody needs to take care of Faith. She's so weak she can hardly feed herself! So if you would kindly stop being a selfish prick, I would greatly appreciate that!" Tinkerbell spat at him, refusing to back down.

"What the hell do I care what happens to that girl?" Peter snapped, angry that she dared insult him in front of the Lost Boys.

"You seemed to care last week when you asked for my help," Tinkerbell shot back. This pushed Peter's already brimming anger over the edge, and the dark swirling matter shot from his hands, pinning Tinkerbell to a nearby tree with a thunk.

"I'd watch your tone if I were you, _Tink_," Peter said, dangerously calm, enunciating every syllable of her name slowly. She struggled wildly against her magical bonds, fear gracing her features for the first time in their conversation. At that moment, Felix walked into the clearing from his tent, looking curiously from the surly teen to the small woman.

"What's going on?" He asked cautiously.

"Tinkerbell here seems to think she can order me around now. Apparently _she_ controls Neverland instead of me," Peter said to Felix, quirking an eyebrow in his friend's direction.

"I never said that!" Tinkerbell spat in response. Peter clenched his hands, tightening the magical bonds painfully against her hands and feet, causing her to cry out slightly.

"If she was talking about going to Mt. Abercus with me, I would strongly recommend you follow the plan," Felix replied slowly.

"Excuse me?" Peter directed his glare towards his friend, who seemed very reluctant to be speaking against him.

"Faith's dying, Peter. If we don't find a cure, Tink says she won't last the next few days," Felix said, raising his hands in defense. Peter stayed silent for a few moments, conflicting emotions running through him.

"Why should we listen to Tinkerbell?" Peter asked, struggling to maintain the upper hand.

"If we don't, there's a possibility that Faith could die. Would you really gamble her life, Peter?" Felix asked with a note of annoyance in his tone. _That's strange. What does he care? _

Another few minutes of tense silence passed, with Felix staring Peter down. The Lost Boys held their breaths, and even Tinkerbell stopped struggling to watch. Peter finally relented, dropping his hands and releasing the fairy from his magic hold.

"You'd better make this quick. I'm nobody's damn baby sitter," Peter spat, pinching the bridge of his nose, annoyed at his defeat. Felix and Tinkerbell just stood there in shock, wondering what they should do.

"Well?! If it's so damn important, aren't you going to leave now?!" Peter shouted angrily, causing the two of them to start. Felix grabbed his club, and Tinkerbell took her purse, and with an awkward glance back, the two left the camp quickly.

Peter glanced irritably at the open-mouthed Lost Boys, who seemed shocked into permanent silence. He swallowed his anger and gave them a smirk. He decided to give himself a welcome distraction.

"Let's play a game boys"

* * *

(Felix)

Felix and Tinkerbell walked in silence for a while, neither of them knowing quite what to say. Peter's outburst had been sudden, although not necessarily out of character for him. Lately, though, it seemed as if Peter had been in a relatively good mood, and Felix saw the way he had looked at Faith before last week. Ever since then, however, Peter had been awfully impossible to predict.

"Thanks for, um...sticking up for me back there," Tinkerbell finally spoke up, not looking Felix in the eyes. Her admission startled Felix; usually she was insulting him.

"You should thank Faith. If it had been anybody else but her we were trying to help, I wouldn't have cared," he shrugged his shoulders. They passed another few minutes without talking, before Tinkerbell spoke up again.

"Do you...like her?" Tink asked in a small voice. He stopped dead in his tracks, trying to decide if he had heard her correctly.

"What did you say?" He asked incredulously, hoping he had heard her wrong.

"You know, do you have a crush on her?" she repeated, refusing to look him in the eye.

"What? No!" Felix exclaimed, feeling weirded out by the question. "Why do you even care?"

"Just wondering," Tinkerbell replied quickly, and he couldn't help but notice the blush creeping across her face. She seemed reluctant to explain herself further, so Felix dropped the subject, continuing to follow her.

The silence of the forest pressed in around them, and Felix and Tinkerbell pressed on, refusing to look each other in the eye. He wondered again, why she would even care. Did she like him? _Don't be stupid, she's way older than you. I'm probably like a child to her_.

"She reminds me a lot of my sister," Felix said, desperate to break the tension. He wasn't quite sure why he even said that, he could've said anything to her.

"That's sweet," Tinkerbell replied, smiling slightly at him. "How old is your sister?"

"She was 14," Felix said, clearing his throat. He didn't like talking about his sister; it was far too painful.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Tinkerbell offered her condolences, and laid a reassuring hand on his arm.

"Thanks," Felix answered, trying to ignore the warm feeling spreading through him at their contact. He hadn't felt like that in such a long time. She withdrew her hand slowly, looking up at him with an unreadable expression. Both of them looked ahead in embarrassment and continued walking.

By the end of the day, they were only a couple of hours from the foot of Mt. Abercus. They both agreed that setting up camp right now was the best plan of action, so Tinkerbell worked on starting a fire, while Felix set out to attain their dinner.

He returned a while later with a large boar slung over his shoulder, blood dripping down the back. It's skull appeared to be bashed in. Tinkerbell eyed it distastefully.

"If you don't like it, you can find something else to eat," Felix shot at her, flinging the animal on the ground, and pulling out his knife, preparing to skin it. Tinkerbell turned her head away uncomfortably, trying not to watch.

"Have you noticed how the closer we get to the mountain, the darker the energy is?" Tinkerbell asked, trying to distract herself from as Felix gutted the boar.

"I did notice. The air is strange around here. And I constantly feel like someone..." here he grunted and cracked the ribs of the pig before continuing, "...like someone is watching me."

"I've never been in this part of the forest before. It's really creepy around here," Tinkerbell admitted, pulling her knees to her chest and staring at the fire. Felix didn't respond, he just continued his work.

When he was done he threw the unused parts of the pig in the fire, which began to hiss and pop in the flames. He then skewered the rest on sticks sticking them into the fire to roast. He handed a few sticks to Tinkerbell, so she could roast some as well. They sat in silence, watching the meat cook in the open flame. The feeling of being watched was more present than ever, and Felix thought he saw something dark darting in the corners of his eyes several times. Whenever he turned to look, however, there was nothing there.

After an hour or so, the meat was finally roasted, and they plucked a few off the ends to chew on. It wasn't exactly a five-course meal, but the two were tired and hungry, and it was enough to nourish them. Tinkerbell grabbed a canteen from her satchel and gulped down the water inside.

"You want some?" she asked Felix, holding out the canteen for him to take. He shrugged and took it from her, taking a deep drink as well, and handing it back to her.

"Thanks," he mumbled, wiping his mouth on the sleeve of his cloak.

"No problem," Tinkerbell shrugged, stashing it back in her bag. She wrapped up the remaining pork in the leaves of a nearby bush and put those in her bag, as well, before stretching out by the fire.

"What if we don't find it?" Felix asked suddenly. It had been bugging him ever since they left for the mountain. This entire journey would be in vain if they couldn't find the flower, and Faith's future would be unknown.

"We will," the blond woman answered confidentially, closing her eyes.

"How can you be so sure?" the scarred teen questioned skeptically. Tinkerbell shrugged before answering.

"If you don't have faith, then you don't have anything."

* * *

~Faith~

Faith struggled to climb the tree to Peter's tree house, feeling weaker than ever as she tried to find her footing. Earlier, to her surprise, she had woken up without Tinkerbell or Felix there, a little disappointed that they had not said anything to her. When Peter came to change her dressings, he had been brief and quiet, leaving without a word or another glance back at her. She had noticed his hands lingering against her skin for the smallest of seconds, before he retracted them as though he'd been burned. He had promptly left to play a game with the Lost Boys, leaving Faith all alone.

An hour or so after he had gone, Faith realized she really had to pee, and now here she was, fighting to scale the tree in her weakened state. She felt someone's hands helping her up suddenly, and she was too surprised, and relieved, to react. She just let the hands to the work.

At the top, Faith turned to see who it was, and discovered it was one of the Lost Boys she had seen around camp. She believed his name was Robert. He was a tall, black haired teen with curiously good looks. Faith felt herself blushing; she felt so exposed to him.

"Are you alright?" Robert asked her, looking at her in concern. She nodded silently, stunned into silence.

"Let's get you back in the bed, then," he smiled, putting a hand on her waist and guiding her towards bed. When they were halfway there, a cold voice came from the doorway.

"Robert, what the hell are you doing?" the two turned to see who it was and (surprise, surprise) it was Peter Pan standing there with his arms crossed over his chest, a deadly look in his eyes.

"I-I was just, h-helping Faith. She was, um, struggling up the tree, so I-I, uh, helped her," Robert stuttered, stepping away from Faith, quickly putting distance between the two of them.

"Yes, I saw that. Such a helpful boy, Robert," Peter's voice was sarcastic, but dangerously calm, and Faith felt her heart rate picking up. Peter crept forward, like a hunter stalking its prey. That dark swirling magic was sparkling from his hands again.

"You were pretty handsy there, Robbie," Peter said, flexing his fingers before his face and looking intensely interested in what he found there. Faith almost would have preferred him screaming and throwing things.

"It's, uh, Robert," the teen replied and Peter gave him a deadly glare. "But, um, Robbie is fine."

"Of course it is. And you know what else is going to be fine? Me breaking every bone in your pathetic body," Peter chuckled darkly, before throwing Robert harshly against the wall, trapping him against it with magic. He tightened his fists, constricting the boy's body like a boa would to its prey. Robert let out a strangled scream, struggling to catch his breath, his eyes beginning to bulge from his skull. Faith couldn't take it anymore.

"STOP!" Faith screamed, mustering up every ounce of strength she had. Peter looked at her and saw the terror in her eyes. The swirling magic immediately disappeared, dropping Robert to the ground. He rubbed his sides, taking large gulping breaths, looking from Faith to Peter in shock.

"I would suggest you leave now, Robbie, before I change my mind. And I don't want to see you near Faith again," Peter announced, without taking his eyes from Faith's face. The boy didn't need telling twice before he had shot out of the tree house, leaving the two alone.

Peter stared at Faith for a while, as if battling some inner conflict. When he reached out to touch her face, she shied away in terror, backing towards her bed. _Peter would have killed him. If I hadn't been there, Peter would have killed him_. Faith thought in a panic, still not wanting to believe what she had seen.

Peter's hand dropped pathetically to his side, and he continued to stare at her face with an unreadable expression. He seemed like he was about to say something, but shook his head and turned around, leaving Faith by her bed. She collapsed on the soft mattress, exhaustion taking its toll on her. She turned on her side and stared at the wall, willing herself to fall asleep, but all she could see was Robert's terrified face as his body was being slowly crushed by Peter Pan.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Thanks for being patient you guys, I was suffering from a bit of a writer's block. I seriously can't believe I have over 40 followers on this story! You guys rock so much! Please let me know what ya think! :)**

-Chapter 14-

(Felix)

When Felix awoke, the sun had barely risen over the horizon, and a cool dew still clung to the foliage around their small camp. Tinkerbell was curled up on her side, still fast sleep. He sat up and stretched, feeling the ache in his muscles from sleeping on the forest floor. The fire was still burning weakly, so Felix searched for some twigs nearby and rekindled the flames

As he began chewing on the left over meat from last night, he saw Tinkerbell begin to stir. Her petite blond face was nestled on top of her arms, leaving her features smushed against her pale forearms comically. Her legs were curled up against her chest, making her seem like a small animal nestled in for hibernation. _She looks so cute_. Felix thought absentmindedly. _Wait, what? _He stopped himself, feeling his blood run cold. _Stop it, man! It could never happen between you two. First, she doesn't see you like that. Second, you are _way_ too fucked up for anyone to love. _

Just as he was mentally chastising himself, Tinkerbell rose slowly from her position on the ground, blinking furiously in the morning light. After she rubbed her eyes, she glanced over at Felix, and he could've sworn he saw her smile a little at him. _You're seeing things. _Tinkerbell stretched as he had earlier and rose slowly.

"I'm gonna go relieve myself. I had waterfall dreams all night," Tinkerbell quipped in a cheery voice.

"Tinklebell," Felix said under his breath with a smile, not thinking she would hear.

"Oh, ha ha. Very original," Tinkerbell rolled her eyes before walking a short way into the forest, and Felix flushed when he realized his stupid comment had been heard.

When she returned, Tinkerbell's eyes were wide and she was even more pale than usual. Felix gave her a concerned look as she sat across from him in the fire, raising his eyebrow questioningly.

"You all right?"

"Not really," Tinkerbell replied shortly, still staring ahead unseeing.

"Care to elaborate?" Felix asked again. He would've felt annoyed at her lack of a proper answer, but she seemed really spooked.

"You know how Peter's shadow rips shadows from anyone who crosses Peter?" Tinkerbell asked, finally looking him in the eye.

"Yeah...?" Felix answered, not quite sure where she was going.

"I just saw some of them."

"And you're surprised at this?" Felix asked, raising his eyebrow again.

"Well, yeah. I didn't think the shadows stuck around the island," Tinkerbell admitted, an embarrassed blush creeping over her features. _She looks adorable when she bl- STOP._

"Where the hell are they supposed to go?" Felix snorted in an attempt to recover from his confusing thoughts, continuing to chew the meat in his hands. He handed Tinkerbell some, who snatched it up with an annoyed look on her face.

"I don't know! I thought they just disappeared or something!" Tinkerbell defended, taking an angry bite of the pork. Felix smiled at her lack of ferocity when she did that; it was like a baby kitten yawning or something.

They continued to eat in silence, Tinkerbell giving him deadly glares every so often, and Felix smirking back in response. When they were finished, they shared the water in the canteen and started to pack up camp. They needed to get to the mountain as soon as possible. The more time they spent getting there, was the more time Faith had to suffer in pain.

Soon their camp was packed up, and the Felix kicked dirt over the fire. It was probably too humid in this part of the forest for a wildfire, but it's better to be safe than sorry. Tinkerbell had her bag slung over her shoulder again, and Felix did the same with his club. With a final glance at each other, they headed into the thick jungle, the sun rising ever higher in the sky.

"Why are you even friends with that lunatic, anyway?" Tinkerbell asked suddenly, jumping over a tree root sticking from the ground.

"He's not a lunatic," Felix replied, and the blond woman gave him raised him an eyebrow as if to say 'oh, come on.' "Okay maybe he has a...unique way of thinking, but he's not a lunatic."

"Okay, sure. 'Unique' is a weird way to put it, but I guess I can work with that. Now, why exactly are you even friends with this 'unique' character?"

"Peter gave me a home, and I owe him my life for that," Felix said simply, shrugging his shoulders noncommittally. "Besides, he's the closest thing I have to a family member."

A few minutes of silence passed after his admission. The only sounds they could here was the slight whisperings of the undergrowth as they disturbed the path.

"Feel free to say no, but...would you mind telling me what happened to your sister?" Tinkerbell asked him in a small voice, looking up at him innocently. His heart skipped a beat as her blue eyes met his own. He could have almost sworn that her eyes flickered to his lips for a fraction of a second, before she turned ahead. He sighed, trying to ignore the screaming of his mind telling him that this was a bad idea.

"My father had always been a raging alcoholic. And one day he came home, said some nasty things to my sister, and after I tried to defend her he pulled a knife. Instead of stabbing me though, he stabbed her. She died in my arms," Felix explained quietly. He wasn't even sure why she was telling her this. What had even compelled him to share this deeply personal information with a blonde woman who he was sure probably hated him?

"Oh, Felix that's terrible. I'm so sorry," she replied, placing a hand on his arm in a comforting gesture. His heart lurched again when she said his name, and he felt tingles go to the spot where she had touched him. He both wanted her to never let go, and to run away as far as he could from her. Felix settled for something in between, pulling his arm so only her fingertips touched him, and distanced himself as far as he could.

"Don't be. I don't need your pity," Felix said softly in a matter-of-fact tone. He wasn't trying to be rude, he just really didn't need her sympathy. Pity made him feel insignificant and unimportant. She seemed to sense that and retracted her hand. P

Finally, after several hours of treacherous trekking through the jungle, the foot of Mt. Abercus loomed before them. It was a large, gray land formation, with loose rock crumbling around the foot of it. Both Tinkerbell and Felix craned their heads to try to see the peak, and gasped in shock at the sight they saw.

Thousands upon thousands of shadows were circling the mountain's peak lazily. Felix had never seen this many shadows together in once place; they usually craved solitude. Their eyes glowed different colors, some green, some pink, and the shadows were different sizes, some man, some boy. Felix saw Tinkerbell's stunned face, looking at the sky in a shocked wonderment.

"That's bizarre, they usually seek no company but their own," Felix mumbled aloud, voicing his apprehension.

"It's like something's drawing them here," Tinkerbell commented, still transfixed by the sight. They both continued to stare for a few minutes before shaking their heads and returning to the task at hand.

"All right, so what are we looking for here, exactly?" Felix asked Tinkerbell. _How are we going to find a flower that might not even exist._

"It'll be pretty easy to spot. Just a bright looking flower standing alone amongst the rocks. Let's try the west side of the mountain, because that side gets the most sun anyway," Tinkerbell mused, setting off around the perimeter of the rocky ridge. Felix followed after her, trying very hard not to watch the way she swayed her hips when she walked. _Dammit Felix, focus!_

When they had reached the west side of the mountain, the two blonds glanced upwards, and Felix saw an apprehensive look cross Tinkerbell's face. He watched as she pulled a length of rope out of her bag and proceeded to tie it around her waist. She then walked over to where Felix stood and reached around his waist to attach him as well. He could feel himself blushing slightly as her arms connected around him and he tensed involuntarily. She seemed to notice, because at that moment she peered up at him, her blue eyes wide.

"Oh, sorry, love, did I tie it too tight?" Tinkerbell asked him and they both blushed. She seemed shocked that she had called him "love". Felix tried not to read into it too much, and just shook his head quickly, averting his eyes; Tinkerbell did the same.

"You ready, Felix?" Tinkerbell asked, and Felix felt his heart race slightly. She didn't normally refer to him by name, and it always caught him off guard when she did.

"Yup," he mumbled, pretending to itch his nose when she turned to look at him, so she couldn't see the red tint of his face.

Tinkerbell gave him a curious look before she slowly turned and began to find her footing against the mountain. Felix stayed there fore a few seconds, trying to decide how he felt.

He hadn't felt like this in such a long time. The feeling he got when she looked in his eyes was indescribable. His heart rate felt like it sped up so fast that it stopped, and his knees felt weak. He'd always though Tinkerbell was beautiful, with her wide blue eyes and small pink lips. But every since he'd started spending more time with her, the more he wanted to get to know her. The only real thing he knew about her, was that she had been a fairy once, but she was very sore on the subject, which Peter had used to his advantage in his past.

Felix was yanked back into reality when he felt a tug about his waist and saw Tinkerbell up about ten feet ahead of him, looking impatiently back.

"Well don't just stand there! I'm not dragging you up the mountain myself!" Tinkerbell yelled down irritably, and Felix felt a small smile creep across his lips as he started to climb.

The sun rose in the sky as they ascended the mountainside, and Felix felt sweat begin to drip down his back. In some places, the rock would crumble beneath his fingers, sending a spray of rubble below him. Tinkerbell was having the same problem, as well. Every so often, Felix would feel pebbles and dust fly into his face, sending him into a brief coughing fit, followed by a heartfelt apology on Tinkerbell's part.

As if the climbing wasn't nerve-wracking enough, there were shadows circling the area almost curiously. Sometimes Felix could feel one watching him from behind, but when he whipped his head around, it would dart away, laughing ominously. Felix had never been so close to one of them before; the shadows were getting bolder, and that scared him.

They had decided to take a short break after climbing around a relatively smooth part of the cliff face, both of them breathing heavily. They were now resting above the smooth area, finally having reached passable terrain. Felix was tightly gripping the the side of the cliff, trying to catch his breath. He leaned his head against the rock, feeling the coolness against his hot skin.

Felix heard a rumbling ahead of him and looked up to see a shower of earth raining down on him. Suddenly, he saw Tinkerbell's form flying past him, and a sickening tug pulled against his waist. Felix fought to kept his fingers gripping the rock, and turned to look underneath him.

Tinkerbell was dangling helplessly, scrambling to find a hold on the unyielding mountainside. When she tried to use her left foot to scrabble at the surface, she yelped in pain.

"Felix, help!" Tinkerbell looked up at him in panic. His heart lurched at the sheer desperation in her eyes.

She was too far down for him to try to reach, so Felix was either going to have to climb with her behind him and drag her to safety, or he was going to have to lift her and risk taking both of his hands off of the side. If he dragged her, who knew how long it would take to lift her to safe grounds; Felix would much rather stay where he knew the ground was safe (for now, hopefully) and try to lift her up to him.

"Hang on!" Felix called down to her reassuringly.

He leaned against the mountain, trying to put all of his weight against it, before he reached down and began to pull up on the rope. His body resisted, wanting to fall against the additional weight of the blond fairy, but he clenched his ab muscles to keep his balance.

Bit by bit, Felix pulled Tinkerbell upwards, his biceps trembling with the exertion. Tinkerbell held on to the rope, trying to prevent herself from being a dead weight. Finally, he had raised her within reaching distance, so Felix leaned down carefully and grabbed her small hand with his larger one. He pulled her up with every ounce of strength that he had left, and she finally found a purchase on the spot next to him.

The two sat there, chests heaving as they fought to regain their breaths. Tinkerbell leaned slightly against Felix, and he automatically put his arm up to stabilize her. His body warmed at the contact, and his cheeks flushed furiously again.

"You alright?" Felix asked her breathlessly, trying to remain calm as he supported her tiny frame.

"Yeah. Well, no actually. I think I twisted my ankle when I fell. I can't put any weight on it," Tinkerbell admitted, shifting her weight against him again. He stiffened slightly, not knowing what he was supposed to do.

"Look, there's a platform about 20 feet up where we can rest. Do you think you can make it?" Felix asked, pointing to the jutting formation ahead.

"It'll be slow-going, but if you help me I can," Tinkerbell answered, looking into his eyes. The two stared at each other for longer than was probably necessary, before Felix looked away awkwardly and cleared his throat.

"Let's get going now. The longer we wait, the harder it's going to be to get up there," Felix said, starting to climb again.

It was slow-going, indeed, as they headed up the side of the ridge. Felix would climb a few feet and Tinkerbell would follow after, taking his arm to balance her. Felix couldn't help but notice how soft her hands were. _Now is really not the time, Felix._ He scolded himself.

After what seemed like hours, they hauled themselves over the side of the platform, lying down on their backs and staring into the sky, watching the occasional shadow drift past.

"Felix, my ankle really hurts," Tinkerbell said after they had caught their breath.

"Can you move it?" Felix asked, not really having the medical knowledge to know what was wrong with her. Peter usually healed all the major wounds, except for Faith's.

"No, not well. Felix...I don't think I'm going to be able to climb any further. You're going to have to go on without me."

* * *

-Peter-

When he had seen the look of fear on Faith's features, it had practically broke his heart. Peter prided himself in his ability to instill fear into the heart's of others, but for some reason, he never wanted Faith to be afraid of him. He had tried to comfort her, but she had flinched like he was some horrible monster. _Because you _are_ one, Peter._

Peter couldn't explain what had taken over him when he saw Robert helping her up the tree. He had just felt jealousy surge through him, tightening his muscles and freezing his heart. He watched in a silent rage as Robert's hands fluttered against Faith's side, reaching slowly closer to her chest. Something inside him snapped, and he got up to follow the two.

He climbed silently up the tree leading to his house, peeking around the curtain covering the entrance. Peter felt his blood run cold again, as he saw Faith leaning against the Lost Boy, who had his hands wrapped around her waist.

After that, it was as if he was watching the scene from above. He heard his cold words and saw Robert cowering in fright. He was vaguely aware of the powerful energy shooting from him as he pinned the teen against the wall with his magic, and squeezed. Peter watched as the boy's eye's bulged from his head, and he felt so powerful at that moment.

"STOP!" He heard Faith scream, and suddenly he was back in his own body again. As soon as he heard her voice, the magic faded from him, releasing Robert from its clutches. Everything seemed deadly still, the only sound being Robert's ragged breathing. Peter stared at Faith as if his life depended on it, trying to read the emotions in her eyes.

"I would suggest you leave now, Robbie, before I change my mind. And I don't want to see you near Faith again," Peter warned icily, continuing to stare into Faith's eyes. He saw the boy scramble without a backward glance, much to his satisfaction, out of the corner of his eye. That's when he placed the emotion in Faith's beautiful green eyes: fear.

When he returned to take care of Faith, she was curled on her side on his bed, breathing loudly in her sleep. Her face was flushed, and a sheen of sweat shown on her forehead. Her hair was wild and tangled, sticking to her face in some parts. Peter wished he didn't have to wake her up, partly because he was worried what her reaction was going to be.

Peter gently nudged her arm, until she groaned sleepily and blinked at him. When she realized who it was, he saw her eyes open wide in fear, and she jumped from his contact. Faith leaned as far away from him as she could on the bed, her breathing erratic. He felt ashamed for some reason unbeknownst to him.

"Relax. I'm just here to take care of your wound," Peter said in a blank tone. He wanted nothing more than to comfort her, but his mind screamed that it was weak of him to do that. Faith looked at him in mistrust, but laid on her stomach nonetheless, too sick to protest.

Airing out Faith's wound had helped a little, drying some of the blood and pus, but the skin was still inflamed and crackled, with a yellowish pus continuing to ooze slowly. Just looking at the wound made him wince.

Peter conjured up a bowl of hot water and a new rag, which he promptly dipped into the liquid. Slowly he brought the cloth to Faith's skin. He stayed silent as Faith whimpered in pain, but his heart longed to whisper soothingly in her ear. He cleaned the wound as well as he could, before grabbing the Fairy Weed, and applying it generously. Peter decided to let the wound continue to air as Tinkerbell had suggested. Without another word, he left, leaving Faith looking at him in confusion.

When morning came and it was time to check on Faith again, Peter entered the tree house, not knowing quite what to expect. What he saw made him almost made him want to cry (_Weak, weak, weak!_)

Faith was lying there, shivering violently and whimpering with every other breath. Sweat was dripping down her face, and she stared, unseeing at the wall before her. Forgetting his resolution to not care about her, Peter rushed to her side and leaned next to her. He noticed that the stab wound had gotten much worse since last night. Pus and blood were still seeping slowly from the wound, and even flies were beginning to buzz around the area. He zapped them away in annoyance, wishing there were curtains or something in here.

"P-Peter?" he heard Faith groan, and Peter looked into her blood-shot eyes. Her eyes struggled to focus on him, and her hand flopped pathetically towards him. He quickly took the hand in his own and brought it to his lips, sending a shiver through the both of them.

"P-Peter? I-I think I'm d-dying," Faith muttered slowly, tears leaking slowly down her cheeks.

"No, no you're not Faith. Don't you dare give up," Peter replied with a quiet ferocity, kissing her forehead lightly.

"It hurts so bad," Faith whimpered, and Peter felt tears pricking at his own eyes.

"I know, sweetheart. But, you cannot give up. I believe in you, Faith," Peter answered, turning the water ice cold this time, and rubbing the cloth across her fever soaked skin.

Felix and Tinkerbell had better return soon. Faith's condition was deteriorating fast, and Peter would never forgive himself if he wasn't able to save her.

_Weak._


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Sorry guys this chapter is a bit short. I can't believe that people actually like this story. Never would have guessed in a million years that anybody would want to read my work. You guys rock! Thanks for the favs, reviews, and follows. Please continue to let me know what you think. (For example: Do you guys like the Felix/Tinkerbell pairing? What about Faith/ Peter ;) )**

-Chapter 15-

(Felix)

Felix stared at Tinkerbell, dumbfounded. Had he just heard her correctly? Normally, she wouldn't rest until she had done things her way, which she no doubt saw as the right way. Felix thought she must be in pretty bad shape if she was putting her faith in him.

"I-I can't do that, Tink," Felix stuttered nervously. He wasn't used to people putting all of their confidence in him like that. Even when Peter gave him a job, Felix always had other Lost Boys to help him. But now, Tinkerbell was relying on him, and it scared him.

"Yes you can, Felix. I know you can do this; I believe in you," she urged, looking deep into his eyes. His heart skipped a beat, and to cover his vulnerability, he smirked.

"What happened to me being a fraction of the maturity that you are?" he asked sarcastically, hoping to alleviate the tension.

"Felix, you saved my life. You could have cut the rope, or sat there and laughed at me like Peter probably would have, but you didn't. I misjudged you, Felix, and I apologize. But, believe me, you can do this," Tinkerbell replied earnestly, ignoring his attempt at humor. She was staring at him with such intensity, that he had to look away, a blush creeping on his cheeks.

"Felix." Tinkerbell said, trying to get his attention, but he refused to turn his head. "Look at me." she commanded lightly, and he slowly looked into her eyes. She crawled over to him and placed a hand on each side of his face; there was no way he could hide the fierce flush across his features. Tinkerbell looked into his eyes as if searching for something and smiled.

"Trust me," she said seriously, and they stayed like that for several minutes. Felix fought the urge to press his lips against hers, still not knowing how she felt about him, if she even felt anything at all.

"Alright," Felix finally replied softly. Taking a big gulp, he wiggled slightly out of Tinkerbell's grasp and struggled to remain his composure. His heart was racing at a mile a minute, and he was sure if his face got any more red, he would look like a tomato. Felix didn't dare look Tinkerbell in the eye, afraid of what he would see.

"Felix?" Tinkerbell asked him softly.

"Yeah?" Felix replied, refusing still to look at the blond woman.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah," he said again, vaguely before sucking up his courage and looking at her. "So what am I exactly looking for here?"

"You're looking for a flower," Tinkerbell said after a few moments, looking at him curiously, like he was asking an obvious question.

"'A flower' is a bit vague, don't you think?" Felix quipped, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Well, come on, Felix! How much vegetation to you see at this part of the mountain anyway? Any sort of flower is going to stick out!" Tinkerbell yelled at him in irritation. _She's so cute when-NO!_

"Okay, well do these 'legends' say what this 'flower' even looks like?" Felix asked, using small air-quotes to emphasize his point.

"First of all, cut the sarcasm because this is the only hope we have of saving Faith, so I'd like you to take this seriously. Second, the legends say it's a drop of sunshine, so use your damn imagination , Felix," Tinkerbell snapped.

"Whoa, sorry! I was just messing with you," Felix apologized, holding out his hands in front of him.

"I know, I know," Tinkerbell sighed, rubbing her forehead with her hand. "I'm sorry, I'm just worried about Faith, and my ankle really hurts. I didn't mean to snap."

"It's okay," Felix replied, standing up and stretching. He untied the rope from his waist, and sighed, trying to calm his nerves.

"You're going to do it?!" Tinkerbell asked excitedly, her eyes lighting up.

"Of course. I wouldn't want to let you down," Felix admitted out loud before he could stop himself. His cheeks reddened, and so did Tinkerbell, but she seemed to recover faster than he did.

"Felix, this means so much to me, thank you! I know you won't let me down," she said, averting her eyes shyly. _That's strange, Tinkerbell isn't exactly one for being shy._

"I'd better get going now," Felix stated obviously, mentally face palming himself. And he began to climb, feeling slightly self-conscious under the blond woman's gaze. He pushed the feeling aside however, and began to climb as if his life depended on it, or rather as Faith's life depended on it (which it absolutely did).

Soon enough, when Felix looked back down, trying not to notice how sickeningly high he was off the ground, he could no longer see the tiny blond fairy. Hours seemed to pass as he climbed, placing his hands and feet almost mechanically. Shadows continued to flit about the mountain, and they seemed to appear more often as he ascended the mountain.

After what seemed like an eternity, Felix was finally nearing the crest of the mountain. The air was thin and cold up here, but the mountain wasn't quite high enough for snow. _Still seems pretty damn high to me_. Felix thought to himself bitterly as he continued to climb and search for the mythical flower.

As Felix continued to place his hands against the mountainside, something bright to his right caught his eye. He turned slowly and couldn't believe his eyes; sitting there was a dazzling yellow and orange flower with a dusting of white in the center, the petals reminding him of some sort of lily. It almost seemed as if it was emitting it's own glow; even the leaves seemed luminescent. It took Felix's breath away just looking at it.

Felix began to climb towards the shining flower, having trouble finding his footing on the horizontal path. After much finagling on his part, Felix managed to reach the small ledge with the flower. He debated bringing the whole flower, not sure which part was the healing part, but it seemed like a sin to remove such a beautiful flower from it's environment. He decided to take a single petal instead, reluctantly removing it from the plant. A warmth spread throughout him as he held it, and his eyes almost hurt from staring at the glowing plant part.

He delicately placed the petal in his pocket and slowly began to make his way down. Every so often his feet would slip slightly, and Felix had to prevent himself from looking down, lest he get nervous again. The shadows seemed to sense he was carrying something of importance as they dived and weaved around him, muttering excitedly to each other.

Finally his feet found the solid ground of the platform where Tinkerbell was sitting, waiting for him. She wobbled slightly to her feet, keeping her weight off of her injured ankle. She looked at him excitedly, her eyes shining.

"Did you find it?!" She practically squealed, struggling to maintain her composure. Felix decided he would have a little fun; he liked it when she was angry with him. Her faced scrunched up adorably, and he wanted to kiss the furrow of her brow. He shook his head slowly, feinting disappointment. Her face fell dramatically, and she almost looked close to tears.

"Oh, oh no. Felix, what are we going to do?" She asked him seriously, and he tried so hard not to laugh.

"Maybe we can try this, instead?" he said slowly, pulling the flower petal from his pocket. Her eyes lit up, but her expression darkened when she realized he had been messing with her.

"You asshole! Don't do that! I almost had a heart attack," Tinkerbell yelled, hitting him halfheartedly on the chest. He smiled mischievously, and she couldn't help but smile back.

"I can't believe you did it! You are the best!" Tinkerbell grinned, her hands still resting on his chest.

"No big deal," Felix shrugged, an embarrassed flush rising in his cheeks.

"But it _is_ a big deal! I knew you could do this," Tinkerbell babbled excitedly. She looked up at him, and they stared into each others blue eyes, not sure what should happen next.

Suddenly, Tinkerbell leaned in to Felix, and without warning, planted her lips against his.

* * *

[Wendy]

Wendy watched the entire exchange from a small crevice near the two blonds, staying out of sight. The shadows had come flocking to her in excitement, saying there were people on the mountain; friend's of Pan's.

Sure enough she saw Peter's crony, Felix, and the blond ex-fairy, Tinkerbell. Felix she couldn't stand, having had prolonged contact with him, yet never exchanging a single word. He had not once tried to engage her in conversation; he simply fed her like she was a caged animal. Wendy thought him a coward, no better than Peter.

Tinkerbell, however, Wendy had mixed feelings for. On the one hand, she detested the woman for never attempting to spring her from jail. On the other hand, the fairy could hardly have expected to have known about that, and Wendy had to admire her fierce independent attitude.

Seeing the two share the kiss, however, put a sour taste in Wendy's mouth. Not only was Felix getting love that she didn't feel he deserved, but Tinkerbell was stooping to a level that Wendy had thought beneath her.

This could turn out to be a good thing, though, Wendy noticed thoughtfully. If Felix was distracted by this blond vixen of a fairy, then he would hardly notice when she executed her master plan. Plus, if the boy proved to be troublesome, she knew his weakness now: Tinkerbell. Wendy could simply kill the fairy to break his spirit, ensuring he wouldn't bother her.

Wendy couldn't help but notice the shining plant that Felix had shown to Tinkerbell before they shared their revolting display of affection. It gave off a happiness like she had never seen before, and she detested it. Why should a plant exude happiness, when she herself couldn't do so?

The young woman transported herself to the top of the mountain where she had followed Felix earlier, and found the source of the petal that the blond boy had been holding. Wendy looked at it in disgust, hating everything about it. With a vengeful snarl on her face, she destroyed the plant with her dark magic, a satisfying stream of smoke rising from the spot it had once been. She could rest easier knowing that this sickening form of life was gone.

Things were going exactly the way Wendy had hoped. Peter was utterly smitten, and thus distracted, by the young girl whose name she had recently learned was Faith (the thought made Wendy chuckle). Peter's little side bitch, Felix, was out of the way as well, and the shadows were beginning to flock to her, recognizing the power she held in the magical staff of hers. Taking over Neverland was going to be a cinch.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Hey, you guys, how are you going?! I wanted to first say thanks again for all the readers (love ya guys) and I wanted to say I also got my first negative review, and I literally laughed out loud. Hey, they say you haven't made it until you have haters, right? ;) Anyway, in this chapter there IS some smut, and it's my first time writing anything like that, so if it seems kinda bad, that's why. Please continue to let me know what you think!**

**WARNING: MEDIOCRE SMUT IN THIS CHAPTER**

-Chapter 16-

(Felix)

Felix pulled away as soon as Tinkerbell's lips had met his. He was more confused than he had ever been in his entire life. Was she trying to play some sort of cruel joke on him? _Nobody would ever want you, Felix. _His mind told him cruelly.

Tinkerbell looked up at Felix with a hurt look on her face, and he felt a nauseous twinge in his stomach. How was he supposed to tell her that he thought she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, but he was unlovable? How was he supposed to say he didn't deserve love, not even his own?

"I-I'm so sorry," Tinkerbell began, shuffling away from him and averting her gaze to the ground.

"Tink-" Felix began to say, taking a step towards her, but she cut him off.

"No, I'm so sorry, Felix. I have no idea what came over me. I-I just got caught up in the moment, I guess," Tinkerbell stammered, blushing furiously. Felix felt a pit in his stomach form; perhaps she really hadn't meant it. _Of course she didn't; you're disgusting and unlovable_.

The two sat in awkward silence for several minutes, neither wanting to be the first to break it. Although Felix had a million thoughts racing through his mind, his face was strangely blank. He kept wondering why Tinkerbell would do that, and what her real motives were. But mostly, he thought about how good the kiss had felt, and how much that scared him.

"We should, uh, probably get going now," Felix prompted, realizing that they must have been standing there for a ridiculous amount of time.

"Oh, of course. And again, I'm really sor-" Tinkerbell began, but Felix waved her off with his hand.

"Don't be," He cut her off, sounding more harsh than he meant to. His inability to decipher her actions was irritating to him, and he just wanted to forget about it more than anything.

Looking down at Tinkerbell, he noticed she was still reluctant to put weight on her ankle, and the joint seemed red and swollen. There was no way she was going to make it down the mountainside on her own. Felix realized grimly that he was going to have to carry her.

He walked over to where the blond woman was standing (more or less) with the rope still tied around her small waist, and began to tie it over his own. He saw Tinkerbell frown out of the corner of his eyes as he was preparing himself.

"Look, there's several ways we can do this, Tink," Felix began with a sigh. "You can struggle with me down the mountain on a bum ankle, or I can carry you down on my back. Which method would you prefer?"

"Felix, I am _not _having you carry me!" the fairy protested vehemently, crossing her arms.

"I was afraid you were going to say that. Now it's just a choice between the easy way or the hard way," Felix replied, turning to look at her with his arms crossed as well.

"What's the easy way?" Tinkerbell asked, narrowing her eyes.

"You hop on my back like Faith did, and I climb down for the both of us," he explained slowly.

"Well, that's not going to happen," she snapped at him, not wanting to seem weak and fragile.

"The hard way it is," Felix confirmed walking over to her and throwing the light blond woman over his shoulder, much to her surprise. He ignored her fists against his back and started to descend the mountain with his free hand, the other supporting her against his lithe frame.

"Felix, this is completely unnecessary!" Tinkerbell shrieked in his ear, making him wince.

"You were the one who decided to make things difficult," Felix huffed, struggling to find a hold on both the woman and the rocky terrain.

Eventually she stopped struggling, making it easier on him in his descent. Felix tried to pour all of his focus into the task at hand, and not the fact that he could feel Tinkerbell's unsteady breathing against him. Nothing seemed to help the racing of his heart, not even trying to pretend that Tinkerbell was just a sack of potatoes he happened to be carrying down the mountain.

"Felix, can I ask you a question?" he heard Tinkerbell say suddenly, startling him from his thoughts.

"You want to ask me a question, _now_?" Felix replied, gritting his teeth. They were about three-quarters of the way down the mountainside now, and his muscles were screaming in protest.

"Are you attracted to me?" Tinkerbell asked, so quiet that he almost hadn't heard her.

"Tink, I _really_ don't want to talk about this right now," Felix answered. Even if he hadn't been struggling down a rocky cliff, Felix wouldn't have wanted to answer the question.

"You just seemed like I slapped you, rather than kissed you," she went on, as if she hadn't heard his disapproval.

"Tinkerbell-" the scarred teen warned, but Tinkerbell cut him off.

"Is it because I'm older, or do you actually do like Faith? Maybe I just imagined-"

"NOT NOW, TINKERBELL!" Felix practically screamed, not wanting to even think about the things she was asking of him.

The rest of the journey down the mountain was painfully quiet. The only sounds to be heard were the breathing of the two blonds, and the wind whistling around them. Shadows continued to circle, some of them laughing jeeringly at the sight.

"Oh, fuck off," he heard Tinkerbell mutter under her breath, and a reluctant smile crossed his face.

When he finally felt the grass beneath his feet at the foot of the cliff side, Felix breathed a sigh of relief. He gently set Tinkerbell down, who threw him a glare before wobbling to a rock to sit down and examine her ankle. Felix sat down where he had been standing, breathing heavily. He felt like he had just run for a week straight, and his eyes starting drooping shut of their own accord.

"What about now?" Tinkerbell asked him, jerking him from the light doze he had entered.

"What are you talking about?" Felix muttered with a frustrated sigh, rubbing his eyes and sitting up cross-legged.

"You said earlier that you didn't want to talk about it then. So what about now?" The blond woman explained, trying to catch his gaze.

"Honestly, I don't want to talk about it ever," he admitted, refusing to look at her.

"We can't just avoid this, Felix, we have to talk about it," Tinkerbell replied in annoyance, beginning to raise her voice.

"No, we don't," Felix replied stubbornly.

"Was the kiss really so terrible that you don't want to discuss it? Am I really that repulsive to you?" Tinkerbell shouted, making him flinch slightly.

"No..." He trailed off, still not making eye contact with the woman before him.

"Then what is it?!"

"You want to know what it is?! I like you, okay? A lot! And that scares the shit out of me! People like me don't deserve people like you, Tinkerbell!" Felix snapped, jumping to his feet and gesturing wildly.

"I'm a mess, Tink!" he continued, as she stared at him in a stunned silence. "The kiss was amazing, and I've never felt this way about anybody before! I think you're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, and I want nothing more than to be with you, but I just can't, Tink. I can't," Felix ended roughly, fighting back the tears that had pricked his eyes.

Tinkerbell gazed at him with an unreadable expression on her face, while Felix clenched his jaw and looked straight back at her, as if challenging her to prove him wrong. The fairy rose to her feet and walked slowly towards him, never breaking eye contact. When she came close enough, she slowly brought both of her hands to the side of his face, and looked deep into his eyes.

When she kissed him this time, Felix didn't try to stop it. Tinkerbell moved her soft lips passionately against his, gripping his face tightly. Slowly, he brought his hands to her hips, pulling her against him, and earning a moan from her. A warm rush of arousal spread throughout his body, and he began to kiss her with more passion, wanting nothing more than to hear her delicious sounds of pleasure again.

Felix had only done this a few times back in the Enchanted Forest, so he allowed Tinkerbell to guide him through it. Her hands moved from the side of his face to his neck, and she tugged lightly on his hair, making him moan softly. When Felix parted his lips, Tinkerbell slipped her warm tongue past and explored his mouth with it.

Tentatively, he moved his hands to her bum, giving a slight squeeze. When she groaned against his mouth in approval, he squeezed harder, kneading his fingers into the supple flesh. Tinkerbell ran her fingers through his hair, and a shiver ran through him. She ground her hips desperately against his, and he felt himself hardening at the delicious friction.

Tinkerbell tugged Felix's cloak off of his broad shoulders, and he stopped massaging her backside to throw the cloak to the ground, tugging his shirt off hastily while he was at it. His left hand returned to her backside while the other settled on her waist, just below her breast. She continued to grind her hips against his, sucking on his bottom lip as she did so. He matched the movement of her hips with his own, and resumed massaging the cheek of her ass. A fiery passion unlike he had ever felt before was surging throughout his body, and he threw all caution to the wind.

Felix began to speed up the movement of his hips, the warm sensation in his hardened member intensifying. He moaned harshly this time, reveling in the feeling. Tinkerbell chuckled against his lips and stepped back, untangling her limbs from his. She gave him a sultry smile, before peeling her shirt off, leaving her in the bound cloth that served as a bra.

"Have you ever seen a woman naked before?" Tinkerbell asked him seductively, slowly unwinding the cloth from her chest. Felix licked his lips in anticipation and nodded.

"A few times," he admitted huskily, another rush of desire spreading through him as he watched her actions. The cloth dropped from her hands, revealing her supple, pale breasts to him. Tinkerbell then removed her green pants, leaving her stark naked in front of him. He felt his mouth drop open slightly in amazement.

Felix's eyes wandered her form greedily, taking in her curved hips and the mound of curly blond hair below her waist. Tinkerbell's pale skin practically glowed, and it was all Felix could do not to rush towards her and press her warm body against his. He wanted to feel her soft body on his lithe figure, making him feel sensations only his own hand had ever given him.

He had only been with a few women, and none of the encounters had really stuck out to him. He doubted he would ever to be able to forget this, however. The only real sexual experience he had was when his nights got particularly lonely, and he stroked himself into ecstasy.

"Have you ever _touched _a naked woman before?" Tinkerbell asked this time, slowly stepping towards him, her hips swaying slightly. He nodded his head slowly, unable to form a coherent sentence, and glanced up into her bright blue eyes before his searching eyes returned to her fantastic body.

Felix's hands were practically trembling with anticipation when she finally reached him, but he was too nervous to move them, afraid she would laugh at his lack of knowledge. Tinkerbell took one of his hands and slowly brought it to her breast, causing both of them to moan when he made contact with it.

Tinkerbell's skin was impossibly soft, he noticed as he cupped her breast. He slowly massaged it, rolling her pink nipple in between his fingertip, feeling the sensitive bud harden. Felix brought his resting hand to her other breast, mirroring his actions. Tinkerbell was sighing and moaning, arching her back to his touch. The fact that she was making these noises only for him increased his desire, and he sped up his actions.

"You are so beautiful," he murmured softly, as he watched her bite her lip in pleasure. Tinkerbell looked up at him and blushed slightly, making him smile; she was adorable when she blushed. In response, she took one of his hands in her own and slowly trailed it down the pale skin of her stomach, never taking her eyes from his. They looked down simultaneously, however, when his fingers brushed over the course hair of her center. A sigh escaped from Tinkerbell's mouth, and she moved her hand to grip his lightly muscled waist.

Felix froze, not quite sure what he should do now; all the other girls he had been with had done all the work for him. She looked up and gave him an encouraging smile, sensing his nervousness. Experimentally, he parted her with his finger, watching her face as he did so, trying to gauge her reaction. Her mouth dropped open and her eyes closed, a satisfied gasp leaving her lips. If he wasn't aroused before, he definitely was now. He spread the wetness that he had created around her core, passing over the small bundle of nerves that made her moan loudly.

After a few minutes of gently stroking her, turning her into a writhing mess, he gulped slightly and dipped a finger into her entrance slowly. Tinkerbell's head dipped back and another load moan sounded from her as he began to pump his finger in her core. Felix brought his lips to her exposed skin, placing tender kisses along her jaw line, reveling in the smoothness of her skin.

"Oh, fuck, Felix," Tinkerbell moaned, sending a rush of desire to his hardness at the sound of his name leaving her lips.

He sucked more aggressively on the skin of her neck, nipping the soft area occasionally, and soothing the area with his tongue after. Felix pumped his finger faster and faster in her tight, hot core, encouraged by the soft moans coming from her mouth. He tentatively added another finger, not wanting to hurt her, but instead she whimpered and bucked her hips against him. The sounds she made were driving him wild, and he never wanted her to stop making them.

Tinkerbell clenched around his fingers, bucking wildly and riding out her orgasm. Just knowing it was him who had caused it made Felix more aroused than he could have thought possible. As she came down from her high, Felix removed his fingers and wiped them off on his pants. Tinkerbell looked at him, breathing heavily, and smiled. She pressed her lips against his again, and they hungrily moved against each other.

After several minutes, Tinkerbell lowered to her knees and looked up at him, tugging on the waist of his pants. A flush spread to his face as Felix realized her intentions, and he bit his lip in anticipation. None of the girls he had been with had ever pleasured him that way, but his friends back in the Enchanted Forest had bragged about receiving it.

Tinkerbell slowly lowered his trousers, pooling them in a puddle by his legs so he could step out of them. His erection slapped against his stomach, demanding attention from the blond woman, craving it. She smiled coyly at Felix, before wrapping her hand around him and pumping slowly, kissing his upper thighs tenderly as she did so. A groan escaped his mouth as her hands worked on him, swirling the desire that had leaked from the tip with her thumb. She was definitely more experienced than he was, Felix would give her that.

Nothing could have prepared him, however, when she flicked her tongue over the tip and slowly took him in her mouth. The sensation was incredible, unlike any he had felt before. Tinkerbell's mouth was warm and wet around his thick member, causing a heavy moan to slip past his lips.

She bobbed her head up and down his hardness, hollowing her cheeks and sucking lightly. He involuntarily bucked his hips into her, feeling himself hit the back of her throat. Tinkerbell gagged slightly and Felix felt bad, but he couldn't stop a strangled groan from blurting out.

Tinkerbell looked up at him with those bright blue eyes, and he saw them twinkling brightly. She repeated the action, taking him as deep into her mouth as she could go, relaxing her throat this time. A fiery tightness was spreading through his stomach, and Felix didn't know how much longer he could last, especially when the fairy began massaging his balls with her hand.

"T-tink, I.." he struggled to say.

A knowing look passed in her eyes and she released him from her mouth with a pop. Tink smirked slightly at Felix and tugged on his hand, indicating she wanted him to join her on the ground, and he lowered on his knees before her. Felix ran his hands along the sides of her breasts again, and a breathy moan passed through her lips, making him smirk this time.

Tinkerbell growled playfully when she saw his satisfied grin, and pushed him lightly to the ground. Felix fell back with a slight thud, and she straddled his hips, grinding their naked sexes together. She laughed lightly when she saw his ecstasy-filled expression and leaned down to kiss the scar on his face. Tinkerbell pecked her lips across the puckered skin, rubbing her hands up and down his chest at the same time.

Felix was taken aback; never had anyone treated him like that. Normally girls would pointedly avoid looking at his face, and stare when they thought he wasn't looking. The girls he had gone to bed with pretended they didn't care about the scar, but later they'd told their friends about it, and he seethed in anger at the memory. Yet here was Tinkerbell, tenderly kissing the deformation without a second thought.

He was pulled from his thoughts when the blond woman lifted her hips slightly and pumped him several times, preparing him for what was to come. Slowly, almost agonizingly so, she sank down onto his hardness, wincing only slightly. The feeling for him was wonderful, almost indescribable, but he screwed up his brow in worry as he looked at her.

"You alright?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah, love, I'm fine. It's just been awhile," Tinkerbell replied, giving him a reassuring smile.

After a few moments to adjust, she began circling her hips against him, creating the most wonderful friction between the two. Felix's hands wandered to her hips, feeling the movements she was creating for the both of them.

Soon, Tinkerbell began to pick up the pace, practically bouncing atop him, soft sighs leaving her lips. Felix watched, as if in a trance, as her breasts swayed along with her, and groaned loudly. She felt tight and wet around him, and soon he thrusted his own hips up to meet her, hitting a spot in her that made Tinkerbell cry out.

Faster and faster the two of them went, finding a scrumptious rhythm that sent profanities flying in the sex-filled air around them. Tinkerbell bounced relentlessly on top of him, a hand dipping down to rub the sensitive nerve-bundle of her core. Hearing her delightful moans and seeing her body astride him was too much for him. Felix felt his stomach tighten and his toes curl; he saw stars as he spilled inside her, Tinkerbell's name sounding from his lips. She followed soon after, rolling her eyes back in her head as she rode her orgasm out for the second time.

Tinkerbell laid her head on his shoulder, sloppily kissing his neck as they both lay there, struggling to regain their breath. Felix grabbed his cloak from nearby and draped it over the two of them, wrapping his arms around her small form after he had done so.

And there they lay as the sun dipped lower in the sky, marking the end of the day. Felix had never felt so complete in his life, as he had when he laid there with Tinkerbell. Their breathing synchronized in a steady, relaxing rhythm. He could've stayed there with her forever.

"Do you really think I'm beautiful?" Tinkerbell asked suddenly, smiling up at him.

"Of course. You could easily give the mermaids a run for their money," Felix replied with a smile. The comment made her laugh, and the sound was music to his ears.

"I wish we could lay here forever," Tinkerbell replied after a few minutes, echoing his earlier thoughts.

"Me too, but Faith is counting on us," Felix said, sighing in disappointment.

"Oh gods, we're terrible people aren't we?" the blond fairy asked him in horror.

"What do you mean?"

"We just had sex while our friend is on her deathbed!" she shouted, jumping up from him with a guilty look on her face. She raced to find her clothes and put them on, still hobbling on her injured ankle.

"Are you saying you...regret this?" Felix asked, rising as well and putting on his clothes.

"Oh, Fel, of course not! I just can't believe we forgot all about poor Faith! I feel so terrible," Tinkerbell admitted, sitting on a nearby rock. Felix joined her, finally having redressed himself as well.

"Hey, don't feel bad. We just got...distracted," he comforted her with a smirk. Tinkerbell glared at him and hit him on the shoulder, but Felix could tell she was trying not to smile.

"How's your ankle?" Felix asked, noticing her wince as she tried to stand again.

"I think if I try to walk back to camp, it'll take us twice as long," the woman admitted, struggling to find a comfortable position to stand in.

"Does this mean we're going to be doing things the easy way?" Felix asked her with a grin.

Tinkerbell smacked him again, but laughed, throwing her head in the air. Felix could see the marks he had left on her neck, and it left him feeling strangely satisfied. He lowered to his knees before her, and mocked a bow.

"Your chariot awaits, milady," Felix said to Tink, and she laughed loudly again, climbing onto his back, looping her arms around his neck. He hooked his arms underneath Tinkerbell's legs, and off they went into the forest.

* * *

-Peter-

Peter Pan left the tree house in a hurry, feeling as though he was going to explode if he stayed in there any longer. With every comforting word he uttered to Faith, he felt weaker and weaker. His mind was unforgiving in it's criticism. _Weak, weak, weak, weak. _He chanted in his mind, and soon he felt sick to his stomach.

It didn't help that Faith was rapidly deteriorating, as well. She was hardly able to raise her head to take a drink, let alone get up to use the bathroom. Peter had had to carry her down the tree house several times, holding her close to his body, just so she could relieve herself. He hadn't even been able to leave her to her business, because she could barely hold herself up.

Faith probably would have been more embarrassed had she been feeling better, but Peter wasn't even sure how much she was aware of. Sometimes she would mutter incoherent sentences when he thought she was awake, and Faith no longer responded to his questions properly. He'd even had to go so far as to spoon feed her, and what made matters worse, was that he truly didn't mind doing it.

Peter secretly loved taking care of her, making her feel better, and that sickened him. He was supposed to be selfish and narcissistic, not a loving caretaker. His shadow's harsh words echoed in his ears when he tended to Faith's needs, and his blood would run ice cold in fury. It was all just too much for him.

He searched around the camp for somebody he could trust to take care of Faith, when he noticed a group of boys gathered near the fire. They seemed to be surrounding something, and they were all muttering frantically. One of them saw Peter looking curiously, and the Lost Boy motioned him over with sheer panic. Peter felt his stomach drop as he rushed to the Lost Boys, parting them impatiently to make his way to the center of the commotion.

When he finally reached the center, Peter was greeted with a grim sight. A Lost Boy lay there, dead, his face still stretched in agony; he recognized him as the boy everyone called Moss. Peter examined the body and noticed it was lacking the one thing he had hoped the body wouldn't be: a shadow. Right then, he knew exactly what had happened.

"Is Moss dead?" One of the younger Lost Boys asked nervously.

"I'm afraid so, lads," Peter confirmed stepping away and rubbing the bridge of his nose. Things were just getting worse and worse it seemed.

"What happened? Was it Dreamshade?" Another boy asked, and it was all Peter could do not to slap him.

"No it wasn't Dreamshade, you idiot. Look at the body. There's no external wounds whatsoever. If you look closely you'll noticing he's missing something," Peter prompted.

"His shadow!" Nibs exclaimed in fright. The rest of the boys began to mumble again, this time in worried tones.

"Exactly, Nibs. He's missing his shadow, which means it was ripped from him. Now, I've not ordered for anybody to be killed tonight, which means we've got rogue shadows. You'll all want to sleep with a lantern in front of your tents tonight, boys, just in case it returns." Peter advised darkly, receiving nods from the group around him.

Peter snapped his fingers and the body of the boy disappeared. He sent it to where he always sent them: the ocean. It prevented the Lost Boys from having to dig a grave in the unpredictable soil of Neverland, and it kept the mermaids happy. He obviously couldn't have given less of a damn about the mermaid's needs, but he wanted to be on their good side if he ever needed a favor from them.

The Lost Boys slowly scattered around the camp, talking in small groups with hushed tones. Peter was the only one left standing where Moss's body had been. A million thoughts were running through his head, and he struggled to understand what had happened.

The shadows on this island had always been under Pan's shadow's control, much like Peter was in charge of the Lost Boys. If one of the shadows was killing, that meant Peter's shadow had possibly gone rogue. Something strange must have been going on if his own shadow was willing to defy him, and that made Peter uneasy. He thought he'd made his power pretty clear during their last encounter, but apparently that hadn't worked. The only other possible explanation besides his shadow going rogue, was that his shadow was being controlled by someone else. And not just anybody can control a shadow; only the most powerful ever learn to master the ability, and Peter didn't need someone like that challenging his authority on the island.

The surly teen walked over to the young form of Nibs, tapping him roughly on the shoulder. The boy turned around and smiled apprehensively at Peter.

"Nibs I want you to look after Faith until Felix and Tinkerbell return from the mountains," Peter commanded, before Nibs could ask any stupid questions.

"What are you going to do?" Nibs asked. _Too late for no stupid questions, I guess_.

"I'm going to watch over the campsite, and make sure the shadow doesn't come back," Peter replied, only partly lying. He hadn't intended on doing so when he had left the tree house, but it was the perfect excuse to stay away from Faith.

"You got it, boss!" Nibs answered back, giving a small salute before climbing up the tree house.

Peter walked back to the front of the fire and rekindled it with his magic. He then sat on a log and stared into it, thinking hard. He still couldn't understand _why_ a shadow would go rogue all of the sudden, or why his shadow would suddenly defy his orders. Most shadow's don't just rip the shadows from people for fun, they almost always do what they're told. That was the brilliant thing about having a shadow army: they had no minds of their own.

_Shadow army_. Peter thought with a shudder, remembering tales of the olden days when shadows ruled the Enchanted Forest. He hoped to the gods that he was wrong about the inkling suspicion he had, but the way things were going lately, he wouldn't be surprised if he was right.

Peter stayed there even after all the Lost Boys had gone to bed, each lighting a small, handmade lantern in front of their tents. The idea was that the fire would distract the shadow's from entering the domain, but it was an old method, and Peter wasn't even sure if it would work.

Peter sat by the fire for the rest of the night, wondering about many things. He wondered where the hell Felix and Tinkerbell were, and if they had found anything useful. He wondered why things seemed so much darker on the island, and why the shadows were turning against him. But most of all, he wondered why he was such a weak and pathetic being.

* * *

[Wendy]

"We've got another, my queen," the shadow announced, flying into the mountain cave. Wendy Darling gave a satisfied smirk to the dark being.

"Excellent. How many more do we need?" She asked the shadow, whose eye's shone bright blue, instead of the crazy purple that Peter Pan's shadow had.

"Roughly ten more, according to the Shadow Oracle," the shadow replied, grinning widely at her. She smiled back evilly and dismissed it, becoming immersed in her own thoughts.

According to the Shadow Oracle, true and total power would come to the new Shadow Queen when she roamed a land with ten thousand shadows (the same amount that the legendary Shadow Kingdom was said to have possessed in it's prime).

The majority of the shadows on Neverland lay dormant in the mountain's, having been roaming the area without power for so long, they simply fell asleep and still hadn't awoken. Wendy meant to change that. She just needed to discreetly steal ten more shadows from Peter Pan, and she would have enough. And then, will the real fun begin.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Hey guys! Today's chapter is a little bit shorter, partly because yesterday's was longer and partly because I got distracted by the Sochi Olympics lol. Please continue to let me know what you guys think! I love hearing your opinions! :) (Also it was brought to my attention that Tink/Felix is a rare pairing, so they don't have a ship name. Any ideas? Fink? Telix? Let me know haha)**

**EDIT: I AM SO FUCKING SORRY I DIDN'T MEAN TO END OFF MID SENTENCE FUCK I AM TRASH! I UPDATED WHEN I WAS REALLY TIRED AND I DIDN'T EVEN NOTICED TILL YOU GUYS SAID SOMETHING JESUS CHRIST I AM LAUGHING SO HARD (Also I am going back through all the chapters and putting whose POV it is because I got a review that it might be confusing so I will do that for you guys. Also updating later tonight!)**

-Chapter 17-

-Peter-

Peter was roused from his sleep when he heard giggling coming from somewhere near the entrance to the camp. He sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, noticing that the sun had barely begun to rise in the sky, giving it a deep purple color. His narrowed eyes turned to the location of the intrusive noise, making his eyes bug out of his head. _What fresh hell is this?_

Felix had just entered the clearing with Tinkerbell on his back, and the blond teen was whispering something to the fairy, who was giggling uncontrollably. The two seemed particularly cozy, leaving Peter to wonder what the hell had changed between the two. Last time he had seen them, the blonds had been at each others throats, not even being able to stand within five feet of each other. The look Felix was now giving Tinkerbell made Peter sick to his stomach, and he had to look away for a few seconds.

Not only was he slightly jealous of the two (which greatly irritated him), but Peter was somewhat disappointed in Felix. Peter was battling with his emotions concerning Faith, yet here was Felix giving in to the temptation he had tried to avoid. He had always seen his friend as being unbreakable and relentless, but now he wasn't so sure.

"Did you find anything?" Peter asked, trying to cut off Tinkerbell's annoying laugh as Felix set her on a log near the fire.

"No, Peter, we're just happy for some other reason," Tinkerbell deadpanned, shooting him a look. Felix nudged her and gave her a smirk, causing her to blush and laugh again.

"You two are despicable," Peter muttered, clenching his fists angrily; he was beyond annoyed now.

"Someone's a little jealous," Tinkerbell teased heartily, ignoring his insult, but Felix was giving Peter a strange glare.

"Faith has been laying here dying and you two are laughing like it's no big deal!" Peter shouted, fighting to control the dark magic swirling around his hands.

"I thought you didn't care what happened to Faith?" Felix asked coolly, wrapping a protective arm around Tinkerbell, which irritated Peter even further.

"I don't care!" Peter snapped, whipping his head to face the scarred teen. "It's just tiring having to watch her like she's a child! I have better things to do with my time."

"Or maybe you just don't want to admit you actually care about her?" Felix replied with narrowed eyes, his jaw clenched. Peter's rage soared through him like an ice storm, and the trees whipped around dangerously.

"Shut your damn mouth, Felix," Peter warned, flexing his fingers angrily. His magic threatened to shoot from his hands, and it was all Peter could do not to pin his friend against the wall and punch the hell out of him.

Felix stood from his spot and took a threatening step towards the surly teen, and Peter could hardly see straight through his anger.

"Boys, stop!" Tinkerbell shouted, hobbling between the two. "Let's just get the flower to Faith and see if it works. There's no need for this bickering."

Felix and Peter exchanged intense eye contact for several tense seconds, before each nodded to the other and made their way towards the tree house. Peter noticed with vague irritation, that his blond friend continued to support Tinkerbell the entire way, his arm slung around her waist. _Sickening. _

When they all entered the tree house, Nibs looked up from his spot at the end of Faith's bed and smiled tiredly. The young boy hadn't got much sleep since he'd started taking care of the girl, and Peter almost felt bad for him.

"You may leave now, Nibs," Peter said to the young boy shortly, and in his fatigue, Nibs left without any further questions.

Felix sat Tinkerbell down on the bed next to the sleeping girl, and handed her a shiny flower petal from his pocket. Peter had never seen anything like it before, and it almost hurt his eyes to look at it. The petal both repulsed and attracted him, yet it somehow reminded him of Faith.

Tinkerbell tried to rouse Faith from her deep slumber, but her efforts were in vain. The girl could only weakly blink her eyes, which were badly bloodshot, and murmur incoherently. Her skin was so warm from the fever raging through her body, that it felt like flames were scorching her. Peter wanted nothing more than to comfort her, but he stayed in his place by the middle of the room, watching from a safe distance.

The blond fairy sucked in a worried breath, and carefully peeled Faith's top off of her body. The wound was still a festering, oozing sore, and Peter wished, not for the first time, that he could heal her with his own magic.

"A bowl, please," Tinkerbell requested, holding out her hand.

Felix tossed her one that had been lying on the ground, which she caught easily. Tinkerbell proceeded to crush the petal with a twig that had fallen off the tree, until all that was left of the greenery was pulp. A small amount of oil had been smashed out of the petal, which the blond woman poured over the wound on Faith's back.

For a few tense moments, nothing happened. Peter watched with bated breath as the oil seeped into the injury, wanting something, anything, to happen. Suddenly, a yellow glow erupted from the wound, lighting her whole back. Mist swirled around the wound, and the puckered skin began to stitch itself together again, slowly but surely.

"It worked," Tinkerbell said under her breath, a small smile forming on her face.

"Then why isn't she moving?" Peter snapped, hoping that Faith would have fully recovered automatically.

"It may be magic, but it can't work miracles. Her body needs time to recover," Tinkerbell answered patiently, stroking Faith's hair out of her face absentmindedly.

"How much time? I'd like to have my room back," Peter added quickly, hoping he didn't sound too desperate. He gritted his teeth again when Tinkerbell chuckled slightly; at this rate he would probably have permanent damage to his jaw muscles.

"A few days to a week. Only time will tell," she replied coolly.

Peter left abruptly, finding the atmosphere in the room to be intolerable. Between Felix staring at Tinkerbell as if she was spun gold, and Faith's slowly recovering body, Peter wasn't sure which he detested more. He just knew he had to get the hell out of there.

He flew down the tree house and rested on a log near the corner of the campsite, away from the waking Lost Boys. Some of them eyed him curiously, but the rest ignored Peter, knowing he was in a foul mood. If his dark expression hadn't tipped them off, it would have been the swirling black mist gathered around his hands.

Peter stayed on the log for the rest of the morning, his grim mood reflected in the heavy clouds and whistling trees. His mind was relentlessly firing thoughts at such a rapid pace that his head began to hurt. Even rubbing the bridge of his nose wasn't helping; it only seemed to irritate him further. He could only stare at the ground with a furrowed brow, blocking out all sounds surrounding him, and trying to sort out his emotions.

* * *

~Faith~

After her negative encounter with Peter (the one that had scared the living hell out of her), Faith had been in and out of consciousness, only vaguely aware of a warm presence carrying her around at times. She was also aware of the sharp, relentless pain in her shoulders, as well as the weakness of her muscles. Sometimes she thought she heard a low voice speaking comfortingly to her, but she wasn't sure if that had been a dream or not.

Faith finally awoke with the afternoon sun streaming onto her face, making her blink rapidly at the sudden brightness. It was the most alert she had been in the past week, yet her mind was sluggish and unwilling to cooperate. Faith had almost forgotten where she was, until she looked slowly around the room and saw the familiar decor of Peter's tree house. Felix and Tinkerbell were sitting on the ratty couch by the bookshelf in the corner, their heads close together in a whispered conversation. Faith tried to sit up, but her still fatigued muscles wouldn't let her.

"Oh, look who's awake!" Tinkerbell exclaimed, rushing over to Faith's side and helping her sit up. Faith was surprised when the pain in her shoulders wasn't nearly as bad as she expected it to be.

"How are you feeling, love?" the fairy asked, shoving a bowl of oatmeal into the girl's hands and encouraging her to eat.

"Doesn't hurt as much," Faith slurred slightly, not having spoken in quite a long time. Her mouth felt full of cotton, and her throat was still scratchy and dry. Tinkerbell gave her a glass of water and smiled at her.

"Fantastic!" the fairy replied, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. Felix walked over at this point and sat down next to Tinkerbell, placing his hand on the blond woman's thigh. Faith was confused at his actions, but too tired to delve further into the subject.

"How...?" Faith tried to ask, wanting to know the reason behind her sudden recovery, but being too tired to phrase the question properly.

"We found a cure," Felix shrugged nonchalantly, but looking at Tinkerbell with a smirk on his face, as if the two shared some private joke together.

Faith was too tired to ask anything else, so she continued to take careful bites of her oatmeal, finally having regained her appetite. When she finished, she gestured to Tinkerbell that she wanted more, but Tinkerbell simply giggled.

"You've gotta take things slow, Faith. You've been barely eating this past week, so we don't want to overwhelm your stomach." The fairy explained with a sympathetic smile. Faith didn't respond, she just finished the rest of her water and sat back.

"Do you need to use the bathroom at all?" Tinkerbell asked.

"Actually, yeah," Faith admitted, suddenly feeling her bladder pressing uncomfortably against her abdomen.

"Me, too," Felix piped up, making Tinkerbell laugh loudly.

"Well, come on, you guys! Let's go, then," the fairy said, helping Faith to her feet along with Felix.

When they had finished their business, Faith limped back into camp with Tinkerbell supporting her. She felt the eyes of the curious Lost Boys on her, and she gave them a small smile, sending the boys into excited chattering.

Nibs ran up to her and flung himself around her waist, almost knocking her over. Faith bristled at the contact, not feeling well enough to really tolerate any sort of physical affection, but he had untangled himself from her before she could protest.

"I'm so glad you're okay! Peter had me watching you and you looked so sick! But you're better now!" Nibs yelled excitedly, practically bouncing in his enthusiasm. Faith didn't say anything; she simply gave him a small smile. She hadn't even been aware that he had been in the same room with her, to be quite honest.

Before she clambered up the side of the tree trunk, Faith gave a final glance to her surroundings. With a start, she saw Peter glowering at her from the corner of the campsite. Faith quickly averted her eyes, still feeling awkward and afraid of him.

Faith settled back down in the bed, exhausted from what little activity she had done that day. Pulling back the covers, her thoughts wandered back to her last encounter with Peter, and she involuntarily shuddered. The intensity in his eyes was what had partly scared her, but what was really frightening was the satisfied enjoyment on his face as he had tortured Robert. Faith noticed Robert had avoided her gaze, and left the clearing when she had entered it, clearly taking Peter's threat to heart.

Faith's eyes drifted closed, Peter's evil gaze swimming in her mind, his cruel laughter echoing in her ears. Her dreams were fitful and unrealistic, with giant Peter heads chasing her through Neverland.

When Faith awoke next, it was the middle of the night, and the room was dark and gloomy. She sat up slightly in bed and noticed Tinkerbell sound asleep on the couch, with Felix presumably back in his own tent. A figure at the end of her bed made her start, and she strained her eyes to see who it was. A slight panic entered her heart when she realized it was Peter.

He stood there silently, giving no indication that he even knew she was awake, yet his glaring eyes burned holes into her skin. Faith scrambled to the front of her bed, drawing her knees to her chest and trying to put as much distance between him and herself. Another few tense moments passed between them before Peter spoke again.

"You're afraid of me, aren't you?" he asked darkly, taking a step closer to her from around the bed.

Faith gulped and nodded her head, knowing there was no point in lying. He had already known what the answer was going to be, she could tell by the tone in his voice. Soon he was right beside her, looking down with an unreadable expression on his face.

"Good," Peter replied, crouching down to eye level with her. Faith felt very uncomfortable under his gaze, but she couldn't bring herself to look away. The look on his face was dark, yet a hint of disappointment flickered in his eyes, leaving Faith to wonder if she had just imagined it.

"Good," Peter repeated again, reaching his hand up to touch her face. She flinched before he could get near, and struggled away from him. A dangerous look passed in his eyes, and he learned towards her, so close that their noses were practically touching.

"I draw power from fear, Faith," the surly teen continued, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear before Faith could stop him. She shuddered at the contact, not revolted, but intrigued, and very, very confused.

Before she could so much as breath, he had disappeared with a chuckle. Faith whipped her head around the tree house, almost wondering if she had just imagined the entire encounter. But she knew it was real, as she could still feel the burning in her skin of where his knuckles had grazed her cheek. Faith lay back in bed, confused and frightened, wishing she knew what was going on in Peter's strange little mind.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: REALLY sorry I left of that last paragraph in ch 17. It was super late when I updated (as usual) so I didn't notice anything until you guys said something lol I went back and changed it for ya! I also have started putting POV markers when someone pointed out it was a bit confusing when I changed between. Thanks for all the follows (50 holy shit) reviews and favs. Please continue to let me know whatcha think! **

-Chapter 18-

~Faith~

When Faith awoke the next morning, her skin was covered in a cold sweat, but this time it wasn't because of a fever. She had had terrifying dreams of Peter the previous night. Peter torturing her without even using his hands, his black magic burning her to the very core. Peter shooting her with more arrows, laughing as they landed with a sickening thunk in her back. Peter grinning as he ripped her shadow from her, saying in a dark voice, "I draw power from fear."

Faith shuddered as she tried to wipe the dreams from her mind, struggling to get out of bed by herself. Looking outside the window, she noticed the sun had barely risen in the sky. Tinkerbell was still sound asleep on Peter's small couch, snoring softly every so often.

Smiling to herself, Faith climbed down the tree house to head into the forest to take care of her business. The camp was dead silent, with not a soul in the clearing as she trudged into the forest, limping stiffly at her lack of muscle usage in the previous week.

The forest seemed ridiculously quiet, not even the wind was moving. It was humid, but there was still a chill in the air. Faith felt like she was seeing things whipping past her head out of the corners of her eyes, but when she looked, nothing was there.

When Faith arrived back at camp, the clearing was still dangerously silent, causing a chill to creep down her spine. She almost called out to ask if anybody was there, but that would've probably been useless. No doubt it was just her imagination, and she would end up looking foolish.

"Good morning," a surly voice said next to Faith's ear, making her jump back several feet and scream.

Faith whipped her head to identify the source of the voice, and saw Peter chuckling from the spot she had just occupied. _Of fucking course it was him_. Faith swore mentally, her heart beating at an impossible pace. She started to count again, feeling like it had been ages since she had done so, and found it greatly relieving.

"What, no good morning back?" Peter asked her, feigning disappointment. Faith felt like he was mocking her, and anger surged through her.

"I really don't have much to say to you," Faith mumbled, her voice cracking slightly. Peter's unpredictability was putting her on edge, so she focused on picking her nails and counting to seven like she usually did.

"Why not?" Peter inquired, taking a step closer with a genuinely curious frown on his face.

"You shot me with an arrow," Faith replied, gritting her teeth, stepping away from him.

When she had been injured, Faith couldn't get past the pain and fatigue; all she had wanted was comfort. But the more she thought about it, the angrier she got; Peter had shot her for Christ's sake! Faith had been winning the damn game, and he shot her, then pretended it had never happened.

"You didn't seem to mind me when I was comforting you in my bed," Peter shot back in an amused tone, taking another step closer. She knew he was trying to get a reaction out of her, so Faith struggled to keep calm, stumbling back again.

"I was in pain," she replied quietly, avoiding his dark gaze. Faith's reluctance to make eye contact with him seemed to piss Peter off more than her vague answers, and she could practically feel the annoyance rolling off him.

"Ah, as good an excuse as any," was his reply, and he continued to try to close the distance between them, until Faith was backed helplessly against a tree. Yet she stood her ground, calmly counting in her mind and staring unseeing ahead.

"Why don't you just forgive and forget, Faith?" Peter asked, his face uncomfortably close to her own.

"I can't forgive you if you haven't apologized," Faith countered bitterly, briefly flicking her green eyes to his blue ones. He was wearing that ridiculous smirk on his dumb face. If Faith had been braver she would have smacked it off, but she stood in a petrified silence.

"I've nothing to apologize for," Peter said, narrowing his eyes slightly, but keeping the bemused smirk. His indifferent attitude made her snap into an uncharacteristic rage.

"You do need to apologize, Peter, and you know exactly what for! I was winning that game, but you couldn't stand the thought of losing, to a girl nonetheless. So you cheated, and it almost cost me my life. You are a dirty, lying cheater," Faith spat in his face, not quite knowing what had taken over her. Perhaps it was just the rage she had been bottling up since she arrived at the island. Or it could have been the rage she had harbored for her entire life. She didn't like feeling helpless, and that's exactly how Peter was making her feel. Whatever it was, it made a dangerous look flash in Peter's eyes.

"What makes you say I'm a cheater, my dear Faith?" Peter asked in a dangerously calm tone.

"You said that every player got three arrows, and three arrows only," Faith stated, looking him straight in the eyes with a sudden surge of bravery she didn't know she had.

"I said every player _starts_ with three arrows, but I never said a player couldn't grab another arrow from some body else ," Peter chuckled condescendingly, making Faith clench her hands so hard she thought she would draw blood.

"You're a cheater, Peter Pan, but more than that, you're a coward," Faith spat in a venomous tone.

Something snapped in Peter's eyes, and he looked positively frightening. With hardened eyes, he slammed a fist into the tree trunk behind her, and Faith flinched, almost thinking for a second he was going to hit her.

"I may be many things, Faith, but a coward is not one of them," Peter hissed into her ear, his voice still perilously calm.

"You are a coward, Peter, and you know it," Faith hissed back, feeling suddenly courageous in her anger.

Peter's eyes flashed again, and his features contorted into a snarl. He took the other hand that wasn't currently embedded in the tree trunk, and forcibly grabbed her chin, yanking it to look in his eyes. He was squeezing so hard, Faith was sure he would leave bruises there.

"You know nothing," Peter spat at her, tightening his hold on her.

Anger coursed through Faith, as she stared into his piercing blue eyes. Her mind flashed to memories of her siblings making fun and demeaning her, and Faith snapped, finally having had enough.

"Don't. Fucking. Touch me!" Faith yelled as a white light lit the clearing, and energy erupted from every surface of her body.

The energy shocked Peter violently, and he flew back halfway across the campsite, landing with a thud in front of the log. He sat there, slightly dazed, for several seconds, not believing what had just happened. Faith herself hardly could believe what had just happened.

When it clicked, however, he threw her the deadliest and most terrifying look she had ever seen. Peter got to his feet slowly, a dark magic swirling erratically about his hands. Every ounce of courage that Faith had previously felt fled her body at that moment. Peter walked forward slowly, starting to say something to her, but she screwed her eyes shut, wishing with all of her being that she was anywhere else.

Suddenly, everything seemed much brighter around her, and Faith felt a salty breeze across her face. Cautiously, the girl opened her eyes, and saw she was sitting on a a grassy outlook high above the ocean. When she looked around, she saw a grove of trees bearing some sort of yellow fruit around her, swaying violently in the wind.

Faith looked up and noticed the sky was darkening fast, and lightning ripped through the sky. Faith remembered what Felix had said about the weather reflecting Peter's mood. If that was true, he must have been furious with her. And a furious Peter was definitely not the type of Peter that Faith wanted to interact with.

-Peter-

Why couldn't he have just ignored her like he was supposed to? _Because you like her, you weak fuck_. His mind shot back, and Peter bit back a reply. He wasn't about to have an argument with himself; he wasn't _that_ crazy. Maybe.

Instead, Peter had pushed her buttons relentlessly, almost as if he was punishing Faith for his feelings towards her. Maybe then he could pretend it was her fault he felt weak, and make her feel bad for it. He knew it was wrong of him, but he didn't want to care about that. He just wanted to make Faith feel as bad as he did.

And she was the perfect target for it, too. Faith was quiet and unassuming, not yet confident in herself as a person. When he looked in her eyes as he taunted her, Peter got the feeling she was used to being bullied, and felt concerned for her. This, of course, only pissed him off further.

So when Faith had begun to fight back, Peter was pleasantly surprised, and more annoyed than ever. Her newly found courage turned him on, when he wished he could just be repulsed by her. If only she wasn't so intriguing to him, he could move past these ridiculous feelings of his. If only Faith didn't smell so delicious, he could stop leaning in to her.

But when Peter heard the word coward escape her lips, he felt a cold rage ice his veins. Coward was not a word Peter took to kindly. He could remember the other kids calling him one, and he could remember his mother calling him one, as well. Peter hated the word with a passion unlike any he had felt in his life.

The teen channeled all of his rage into his fist, slamming it into the tree trunk besides Faith's head. The pain was sharp and intense, but he welcomed it. Pain had always been the easiest emotion for him to deal with.

"I may be many things, Faith, but a coward isn't one of them," Peter hissed at the auburn haired girl, his mouth caressing her ear. He couldn't help but notice it was incredibly soft. _You _are _a goddamn coward, Peter._

"You're a coward, Peter, and you know it," Faith insisted, and Peter felt his barely concealed rage boil over.

Not only was Peter angry because of her insolence, he was angry because she was right; he did know it. No matter how much he tried to deny it, he was a bloody coward, and had been all his life. What pissed him off the most, however, was that he had let the one person that was meant to see him as strong and unbreakable, see him as cowardly and childish instead.

Before he knew what was happening, Peter grabbed Faith's chin, squeezing his nails into the supple, pale flesh. He wanted it to hurt as much as her words had hurt him.

"You know nothing," Peter spat at the girl, digging his bony fingers against her jaw.

Faith's energy changed at that moment, and Peter almost felt frightened. Something switched in her eyes, and she gave him a cold, unforgiving look.

"Don't. Fucking. Touch me!" The girl screamed at Peter, startling him. He had never seen such a defiant look in her eyes, and he sadly realized it was probably the first time she had ever dared to fight back like this.

A sudden bright light erupted, searing into Peter's eyelids, and he felt a jolt of energy throw him back. The wind was knocked out of Peter's chest as he landed against a log, and he sat there for a moment, struggling to regain his breath. He opened his eyes and stared at the pale girl, who seemed just as surprised as he was.

The reality of the situation hit him almost as hard as his impact. Faith had used magic against him, and powerful magic at that. She had knocked him on his feet like a child, with no more than a bright light and a few angry words. And she was still standing there as if nothing had happened. Faith had made him feel weak yet again, and that enraged Peter.

Peter got to his feet slowly, and stared daggers into Faith's eyes, daring her to defy him again. Dark mist crackled and swirled around his hands, threatening to shoot out against his will. He struggled to control his anger, wanting nothing more than to snap and feel the delicious release of power.

Before he could so much as utter a word, Faith had disappeared before him in thin air. Peter did a double-take, not quite believing his eyes, and stared at the spot where the pale girl had just been. Faith, intentionally or not, had made him feel like a fool yet again, and Peter couldn't hold in his anger any longer.

The wind whipped dramatically through the trees, swaying and dipping the branches. Thunder boomed in the sky, lightning following close behind. A steady rain poured down, soaking Peter within a matter of seconds. The energy Peter had been trying to hold back erupted harshly from his palms, and he yelled a primal call of rage into the air.

Without another word, he dashed into the forest, eager to find Faith (He would have risen into the air, but it was raining so hard there would have been no point). He wasn't exactly sure what he would say or do when he saw her, but he couldn't let her just escape like that. Faith always seemed to have the upper hand, even though she didn't try, and that irked Peter to no end. How could someone so opposed to control continue to seize it from him without effort?

Peter raced and swerved through the forest, feeling the slick roots underneath his boots threatening to make him lose his footing. He tried to think of where Faith would have gone, but she hadn't even been on the damn island very long; she had no favorite or safe place here. Peter gave up, letting his feet lead him along the path without really thinking of where he was going.

Before he knew it, he found himself at his thinking tree, smack in the middle of the honeyfruit tree grove. It had always been a place of comfort for him, whenever he was feeling emotions he couldn't understand (which was most emotions to be honest). To his surprise, he saw Faith sitting at the edge of the nearby cliff, bent over on her knees in the rain. Peter stomped over to her in a blind rage and stood beside her, his boots squelching in the mud. She took no notice of him, however.

"You think you can hide from me?" Peter yelled over the howling of the wind, clenching his fists and blinking furiously against the rain. Faith started and looked up at him as if she had just noticed he was there.

"Peter, I'm so sorry!" Faith yelled back, and though it was hard to tell with the rain, Peter noticed she was crying.

"You're what?" Peter responded stupidly, not expecting her to apologize.

"I'm really sorry! I shouldn't have let my anger get the best of me, and I shouldn't have used magic against you!" Faith blubbered, refusing to look him in the eye.

"Don't you dare apologize to me!" Peter snapped.

Here was Faith, this ridiculously innocent and nice girl, apologizing to Peter, a giant asshole. The fact that she actually felt bad for hurting him, when he had been antagonizing her in the first place, pissed Peter off for some reason. He didn't deserve to be apologized to by anybody, least of all Faith.

"...What? Why not?" Faith asked dubiously, blinking slowly at him.

"Don't ever apologize to me!" Peter repeated, reluctant to admit to her why he felt the way he did. Faith surprised him again by standing up, and rounding on him.

"Why are you so confusing, Peter? One minute, you're nice to me and want to get to know me. The next minute, you hate me and don't even want to look at me! Just tell me what I've done wrong so I can fix it!" Faith shouted at him, tears still streaming down her face, mixing with the falling rain drops. The sight almost broke his heart, and the rain let up slightly in response. He was still angry at his vulnerability, however, and Faith's adorably frustrating innocence.

"You've done nothing wrong, Faith! You never do anything wrong!" Peter responded bitterly, looking away in embarrassment.

"Then why are you mad at me? You don't make any sense!" Faith yelled in exasperation, throwing her hands in the air.

"I'm not mad at you," Peter mumbled, kicking the ground absentmindedly.

"Then why are you yelling at me?" Faith asked, still annoyed.

"I don't know," he murmured in response, wanting nothing more than for Faith to drop the damn subject.

"What do you mean you don't kn-" Faith began to shout, but Peter cut her off.

"You want to know why I'm yelling? Because I'm afraid! You were right, Faith. I'm a damn fucking coward!" Peter practically screamed, causing her to stumble back a bit in surprise.

"You're not a coward, Peter. I just said that because I was angry; I didn't mean it," Faith explained, recovering from her initial shock.

"No, Faith, I am a bloody coward. I'm afraid," Peter insisted stubbornly, crossing his arms and refusing to look her in the eye.

"What are you afraid of?" Faith asked quietly, not wanting to anger him again. Peter gave her a sideways glance before continuing.

"You," Peter admitted, not exactly sure why he was even telling her this.

"Me? You, Peter Pan, are afraid of me?" Faith questioned incredulously.

"Yes. Because I don't understand you," Peter replied slowly, not wanting to reveal to much information. A few minutes passed before Faith answered him.

"Being afraid doesn't make you a coward," she said, looking warily up at him.

"I believe that's the definition of coward, Faith," Peter told her bitterly, finally looking back in to her rich green eyes.

"No, Peter. Being a coward and being scared of something you don't understand are two different things entirely. A coward refuses to confront his fear, and will waste his life away denying it. But you're standing right here, admitting you're scared. That, to me, is bravery," Faith said, never taking her eyes from his. Peter stared at her, dumbfounded at the words coming from this normally quiet girl's mouth.

"You're very wise, you know that," Peter finally said, smiling slightly. The rain had finally stopped around them, although the sky was still a swirling purple color.

"It's just common sense," Faith replied smiling, her cheeks flushed in embarrassment, making a heat rise to Peter's chest.

"If it makes you feel any better, I'm afraid of you too," Faith continued suddenly.

"That doesn't make me feel better," Peter frowned. He never should have said that last night.

"But last night, you said-" she began, but Peter cut her off.

"I lied," He said simply.

Faith nodded and tried to walk forward but she stumbled a bit, almost falling towards the ground. Peter reached out and caught her, inadvertently pulling her against his chest. She was warm and comforting, even though she was soaked. Peter held her away at arms length, trying not to think about how that made him feel.

"Sorry, I'm still feeling a bit weak," Faith apologized quietly.

"Stop apologizing," Peter snapped, annoyed that she was still doing that even though she was the last person who should ever have to do so.

"Oh, sorry," Faith blurted out, and grinned sheepishly. Peter fought back a smile and took a deep breath, readying himself for what he was about to say.

"Faith...I'm...I'm sorry. I acted foolishly, and it almost cost me something dear, and for that I apologize," Peter said, struggling to finish his thought. "I'm also sorry for that," he continued, brushing her bruised chin lightly with his thumb, causing the flush on her face to intensify.

Peter rarely apologized; that was basically admitting he was wrong, and Peter hated that, too. But, he felt that Faith deserved to be apologized to, especially after all the shit he had put her through. And he had to admit, he loved to see her blush.

"See? Now I can forgive you," Faith smiled at him.

"And do you?"

"Of course."

"Good. Let's get you back to camp," Peter responded, feeling strangely relieved that she had forgiven him.

"Oh, I can walk from here," Faith said, trying to brush him off, but he wouldn't let her.

"No you can't. You can barely stand, let alone walk. Allow me," Peter replied, scooping her up in his arms. Faith was surprisingly light, and it felt like she was made to fit there.

"Wait, what are we- OH MY GOD!" Faith cried as he took off in the air before she could finish her question.

As he soared through the morning sky, the sun finally peaking out from the clouds, Peter couldn't help but reflect over what Faith had told him. What she had said made sense, but his mind still refused to see it. He had admitted he was afraid of her, which was bad enough in his mind, but now he felt like he had to admit he was weaker for that, and Peter couldn't bring himself to do so.

Peter felt Faith snake her arms around his neck, and his heart skipped a beat in his chest. Her hands were smooth and warm, yet they brought goosebumps to the surface of his skin. He was suddenly very aware of how close she was to his body, and he tried very hard not to think of how good she felt against him.

Instead, he tried to focus on what he actually felt towards her. Maybe loving someone didn't make you weaker. Maybe love was just a different kind of strength. _Or, maybe you're just blinded by her pretty little face, and you can't see it. Love makes you a weak, pathetic, grovelling little man. You promised yourself you wouldn't be like that when you were older. You promised yourself you'd be strong and powerful. Are you going to go back on that now, all for some girl you barely know? _


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: HEY GUYS! Sorry it's been awhile since I've updated :( I was pretty busy and having a bit of a writer's block :/ But I'm back with lots of new ideas for y'all! Again, thanks for reading and to those of you who even faved/reviewed/ or followed: you rock! Could this chapter be the beginning of Peter/Faith ;) (Paith? Feter? idk what sounds good, what do you guys think?) **

**WARNING: MORE MEDIOCRE SMUT IN THIS CHAPTER ;) ;)**

-Chapter 19-

[Wendy]

The tall teenager stood before Wendy, trying very hard not to appear afraid, and failing miserably. He flinched every time she twirled on her heel as she paced the cave, and when she caught his expression, she smiled wickedly. Wendy Darling lived off of the fear and weaknesses of those lesser than her.

"Did it work, then?" Wendy asked the boy, stopping in front of him and peering up into his innocent brown eyes. He may have been five inches taller than she was, but he seemed very small and vulnerable next to the young woman.

"Peter took the bait," the boy confirmed, struggling to maintain eye contact with her. His pupils were dilated, whether with fear or the dim cave lighting, Wendy was not sure.

"What did he do?" she asked, not taking her piercing blue eyes from his unsure brown ones. Wendy could practically feel him squirming uncomfortably under her gaze.

"He-he tried to kill me," the boy stuttered, lowering his eyes from hers finally. Wendy dipped her eyes to his neck, noticing it was deep purple and slightly swollen. There were no finger prints on the tender flesh, leaving Wendy to come to the conclusion that Peter had used magic against the young teen.

"Excellent," Wendy replied, grinning savagely. "Are you ready for the next step?"

"Yes, milady."

"Good. What was your name again?" Wendy asked, cocking her eyebrow at the young man.

"Robert," he answered, swallowing with difficulty.

"Ah, Robert, yes. Well, _Robert_, if you call me 'milady' one more time, I'll snap your neck in two."

"Yes mil-ma'am, I mean Wendy," the boy mumbled, trembling pitifully.

"You can call me your highness, Robert. I'm going to be the new queen of Neverland."

~Faith~

Faith was snuggled warmly in the blankets on Peter's bed, curled on her side like a small cat. The pain in her back didn't hurt nearly as bad as it had the past weak, though her chin was still sore from the previous night. She had slept a peaceful, dreamless sleep, and she could have stayed in the bed forever.

Suddenly the blankets were ripped from her body, and a bright light streamed onto her face. Faith groaned, hugging her knees to her chest, and turned her head towards the pillow in an attempt to block out the brightness. She felt a boot kicking her softly in the butt.

"C'mon.. Wake up," she heard Peter say, as he continued to kick her softly.

"Stop," Faith groaned, wiggling away from him towards the other side of the bed.

"Everyone else is awake, Faithy," Peter drawled, climbing on the bed and standing above her, his legs on either side of her body. The dirt from his shoes sprinkled about the sheets, and threatened to invade her clothing.

"Go away," Faith moaned, screwing her eyes shut even tighter, pushing feebly at his lanky legs. Her halfhearted attempts made him chuckle lightly, and she felt his hands at her waist. Her heart began beating furiously in her chest and she struggled slightly against him.

Peter suddenly lifted her off the bed and slung her over his shoulder. Faith squeaked in surprise, wriggling madly in his grip.

"Peter!" Faith exclaimed, still too tired to form a coherent sentence.

"It's morning time, sunshine!" Peter yelled back, and Faith winced. _Who yells this early in the morning?_

"Morning is for sleeping," Faith mumbled as he set her down roughly, and she stumbled across the tree house. Peter grabbed her arm to steady her, and whipped her around to face him.

"We have a long day ahead of us," the teen explained, dusting the dirt from her outfit. His hands brushed across the thin fabric covering her upper thighs, and Faith blushed furiously.

"W-what do you mean?" she asked him, struggling to recover herself, and feeling as though she wasn't wearing enough clothing. Peter lightly grabbed her face and tipped it up towards his own, inspecting her chin. The heat surged to Faith's already blushing face, and she started counting furiously in her mind. Peter noticed the flush on her face (he always noticed), and smirked slightly.

"You're getting your own room today," the boy replied, still tipping her face slightly to look at her bruised chin. His thumb was caressing the area softly, and Faith felt small sparks flick between them.

Her heart was beginning to race even faster than it already had been. Faith didn't want to have her own room; she liked Peter's. It was safe and familiar and it smelled just like him. The thought of sleeping in an unknown place made her chest heave and the counting in her mind picked up pace.

"I don't want my own room," Faith blurted out, staring at the wall ahead of them. _One two three four five six seven. One two three four five six seven._

"Why not?" Peter frowned, trying to get Faith to look him in the eyes. She refused, instead darting her gaze to random objects in the room.

"I like your room," Faith admitted quietly, finally dropping her gaze to the floor with her heart still racing wildly.

A moment of silence passed between them, with Faith breathing erratically and Peter standing there still as a statue. _Oh no, what if I pissed him off again? What if he makes me use magic on accident? What if-_

"Why do you like my room?" Peter finally asked, rousing her from her panicked thoughts. He tipped her face towards his with his finger, forcing her to look into his bright blue eyes. The eye contact made her uncomfortable, and she just wanted to look away, but his eyes were mesmerizing.

"I-I don't know. It's comfortable, and...it-uh," Faith stuttered, and at this point her cheeks were positively beet red. She flicked her eyes away, and tried to regain her breath, without much success.

"Just tell me," Peter urged softly, and her eyes flicked to his again. His other hand was now resting lightly on her waist, squeezing it with tender fingers. His touch was slightly comforting, and she felt brave enough to say the words running through her mind, though her legs were still shaking.

"It smells like you," Faith whispered, trembling like a shaking leaf.

"Hey, Peter, the boys wanna know when breakfast is gonna star-oh," Felix drawled as he barged into the tree house and noticed the two. Peter's hand dropped as if he had been burned and he leapt away from Faith, leaving her standing there in confusion. Peter cleared his throat, and turned away from her.

"We'll be down in minute," Peter addressed the blond teen, giving him a look that told him to leave.

"O-kay," Felix replied slowly, looking between the two curiously and slowly backing out of the room.

Peter stood there for a few seconds before turning back to her, his jaw set. He seemed annoyed, and Faith wasn't sure if it was because of her, or Felix's unannounced arrival.

"Sorry," Faith muttered, squeezing her hands into fists. Her heart rate had slowed considerably, but she was still counting in her mind. The pain from her fingernails digging into her palms helped to ease her anxieties.

"Stop apologizing," Peter sighed, rolling his eyes dramatically. He looked back at her and appeared to be holding back a smile. "So, we're going to be building a new room for me, then."

"...You don't have to...if y'know, you don't want to," Faith mumbled, looking at the ground and twiddling her thumbs absentmindedly.

"Where am I supposed to sleep then, Faith?" Peter asked curiously, his eyebrow quirking. She cursed him internally for not immediately catching on to her train of thought. The teen clenched and unclenched her fists, counting slowly in her mind and praying for the courage to tell him the truth.

"I mean...never mind," Faith said dismissively. _So much for that_.

"Tell me," Peter commanded, taking a step towards her.

"It's nothing, Peter. Let's just go eat breakfast," she replied, trying to walk around him towards the doorway, but he cut her off.

"Just say it," Peter urged, his eyebrows knit together in annoyance.

"It doesn't matter, Peter, just drop it," Faith said, still trying to step around him, but he mirrored her movements.

"Faith, say it," the surly teen said through gritted teeth, his eyes starting to darken slightly.

"No...it's-uh, I mean, I forgot what I was going to say anyway," Faith mumbled, trying feebly to push past him.

"Don't lie to me," he responded darkly, grabbing her arm to stop her from trying to move around him.

"I'm not, and why do you even care?" Faith asked, hoping to take the focus off of her. She was starting to get annoyed with him, both because of his persistence and his ignorance to her feelings.

"Stop trying to change the subject," he said back, his eyes flashing.

"Look, it doesn't matter. We'll just make a room for me, and forget I ever said anything," she answered, and when she went to pull her arm away, he let her.

Faith stormed from the tree house, struggling slightly on the climb down, and stalked over to the table where the other Lost Boys sat waiting patiently. Peter came down a few seconds later, glaring daggers at Faith, and settled down at his usual seat at the head of the table.

Breakfast was a tense affair, with only the boys near the other end of the table daring to talk. The rest flicked their eyes back and forth between Faith and Peter, not daring to say a word but curiosity burning their features.

Faith was mad at herself for blurting out those stupid words. She would have rather Peter never known about her feelings towards him. She wasn't even sure of her own feelings towards him. Whenever he passed by, or made contact with her, Faith felt her heart begin to race madly, and she was never able to stop herself from blushing around him. She felt stupid for even thinking that he would have feelings of a similar manner. Who would want to spend time with a damaged soul like hers?

The Lost Boys went off to play some sort of hide and seek game, and Faith stayed behind this time, sitting on a fallen log near a tree. Apparently Peter wasn't in the mood to construct anything, and to be honest, Faith wasn't either. She whipped out her drawing pad and doodled absentmindedly, wanting to distract herself from her frantic thoughts.

By the time she realized what she was actually drawing, the sun had risen high in the sky, and was beating mercilessly into the clearing (thankfully she was under the shade of a large tree). Faith looked down at her drawing as if coming out of a trance, and saw Peter's smirking face staring back at her, silently mocking her. Faith turned the page angrily and started a new drawing, this time of Tinkerbell's smiling form.

As if summoned by her sketching, Tinkerbell stumbled into the clearing, giggling madly. Faith noticed curiously that Felix entered a few seconds after on the other side of the clearing, appearing to be holding back a smile, as well. When Tinkerbell saw Faith sitting alone under the tree, she walked over and sat down next to her with concern filled eyes.

"You okay?" the blond fairy asked, attempting to smooth down her mussed up hair at the same time.

"Fine," Faith answered, focusing on the strokes of her pencil against the drawing pad.

"It's Peter isn't it?" Tink asked her, tipping her head to the side.

Faith nodded in response, feeling slightly panicked that she was able to guess so easily. _Was it that obvious?_

"Oh don't worry about him, sweetheart. He's always a giant prick to everybody," Tinkerbell said, giving Faith a sympathetic smile.

Faith smiled slightly in response, but didn't really feel any better. She was very aware of Peter's large personality, and his constant need for control. What she wasn't aware of, however, were his feelings towards her, and why he went from one end of the emotional spectrum to the other on the drop of a hat.

"What was it this time?" Tinkerbell asked her, attempting to keep the conversation going. Faith frowned slightly before answering; she was perfectly content with the discussion ending now.

"We had an argument."

"About?"

"Sleeping arrangements," Faith answered simply, still not wanting to really talk about it, and continuing to sketch.

"Oh, love, I can help you build your own place. You don't need to sleep in that monster's room anymore," Tinkerbell offered, and Faith winced slightly, irritated at her choice of words for some reason.

"No, that's okay."

"Oh, come on, it'll be fun! We can share a room together! It'll be like having a slumber party!" Tinkerbell exclaimed, clapping her hands excitedly.

"Don't you have a house of your own?" Faith asked, her tone harsher than she meant it to be. Tinkerbell looked at her in shock, seemingly taken aback.

"Well, yeah...I-"

"Then why are you still here?" she asked again in a less abrasive manner, but still irritated that Tinkerbell wasn't getting the message.

"I was...y'know, just making sure...you were, uh, okay," the fairy stuttered, blushing guiltily, glancing several times at Felix.

"I'm okay now," the auburn-haired girl replied slowly, looking curiously between the two blonds.

"I...um...right. I was, uh, just leaving, then," Tinkerbell muttered awkwardly, and rose from her spot, refusing to look Faith in the eye. She felt guilty as she watched Tinkerbell's crestfallen face.

"Wait, Tinkerbell?" Faith said as Tinkerbell turned to leave.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you, for everything. For finding a cure and taking care of me. I wouldn't be alive without you, so thanks," she said, beginning to blush.

"You're welcome, Faith," Tinkerbell responded, her face brightening up considerably.

With a last look at Felix, the blond fairy disappeared in the dark wood, leaving the two all alone in the clearing.

"Did you lose or something?" Faith asked Felix suddenly, wondering why he wasn't with the rest of the Lost Boys.

"Excuse me?" the blond teen replied, giving her a curious look.

"The game, did you lose the game?" she elaborated.

"What game?"

"The game the boys are playing,"

"Oh, shit...I, uh, yeah I did, um, lose," Felix mumbled, rubbing his forehead slowly, avoiding her searching gaze.

Suddenly it dawned on Faith. The whispered conversations between the two blonds, and the incessant giggling; the pair of them sneaking off on their own. Faith knew a thing or two about relationships from the students at her old high school, and this was a classic boyfriend/girlfriend scenario she was seeing.

"Oh. Of course you did," Faith finally replied slyly, smirking at Felix suddenly. A tense moment of silence passed between them.

"Please, uh, don't tell anyone that I..._lost_," Felix said quietly, twirling his club in his hands.

"It's between you, me, and Tink," Faith replied cheekily, earning a stern glance from Felix, but he didn't say anything else.

The rest of the day passed by relatively quickly, with Faith finishing her drawing, and Felix sharpening spear heads near the fire pit. When the Lost Boys finally returned, the sun was beginning to dip in the pink sky. Peter entered the clearing last, glancing at Faith once, and heading towards his tree house. Faith's heart jumped into her throat when their eyes met briefly, and she could have sworn she saw the ghost of a smirk on his face, but he turned to quickly for her to get a better look.

He didn't return until dinner time, when Chef's loud bell clanged throughout the campsite. Meal time was a quiet affair, with Peter, Faith, and Felix hardly looking at each other. Faith barely touched her food, her anxieties making her nauseous. The Lost Boys on the other end of the table were more animated, however, as they relived the games they had spent their entire day playing.

When dinner was over, the troop scattered about the campsite, and Faith went back to her original seat on the tree stump, taking out her drawing pad again. This night, however, Peter didn't take out his flute; he just sat near the corner of the clearing in a brooding silence, occasionally glaring at Faith. None of the boys seemed to notice, each of them engrossed in their own conversations.

After several hours of spirited conversation between the Lost Boys, and a roaring fire had been lit, Faith glanced up to look at Peter. She was surprised to find that he wasn't on the log anymore, and when she looked about the clearing he wasn't there either. _He must have gone to bed early today_.

"You're a tough one to figure out, you know," Faith heard a voice say next to her, and she practically jumped out of her seat. Of course, it was none other than Peter Pan, smiling triumphantly by her side.

"Stop doing that!" Faith yelled, frustrated with his sudden appearances, and she rubbed her forehead in annoyance. Peter chuckled at her lightly, taking a hand and resting it on her thigh. Faith's breath hitched in her throat, and her skin was positively buzzing with the contact. She started to count furiously in her head at his touch, and willed herself to keep an impassive expression.

"I spent all day trying to figure out what was going on in that pretty little head of yours. The more I thought about it, the more confused and irritated I got. Until finally, when I saw you drawing my face from across the clearing," Peter said quietly, rubbing his hand up and down her thigh slowly. Faith would have cursed herself for being so obvious, but she was too busy counting and focusing on his soft caresses.

"Y-you saw that?" Faith finally uttered, barely aware of what she was saying. It was taking every ounce of self-restraint and focus she had to not lose herself to his touch.

"You weren't exactly hiding it," Peter chuckled, his hand creeping higher up her shorts-clad thigh. Faith was trembling now, both excited and scared by his foreign touch. He noticed her response, and pressed his hand further against her soft skin.

"If you wanted to be bunk mates, Faith, all you had to do was ask," Peter whispered, looking up at her with a devious expression, his smile curved in that ever familiar smirk of his. His hand was practically resting on her waist now, teasing the crease between her thigh and abdomen with his index finger. Faith released a shaky breath before continuing, and she saw Peter bite his lip out of the corner of her eye.

"Th-that's not...I-I never..." Faith tried to say, but she couldn't form her thoughts correctly. Her mind could only focus on everything Peter related.

"Do you want to share a bed with me, Faith?" Peter asked, enunciating every letter of her name, rolling it around his tongue like a marble. A shiver ran down her spine when she thought about the movements of his tongue, and how it would feel against her.

His face crept closer to her own, and his finger dipped down to the crotch of her pants. She jolted slightly in response, and muttered a soft, "Oh!" underneath her breath. She could see his face lighting up at her, and had he smirked any wider, it would have cracked his face in half.

"Do you like it when I touch you, _Faith_?" he continued huskily, pressing his index finger down and softly rubbing the area. Faith's mind was in a haze now, and she tried desperately to keep counting, but the numbers were running together, and she started skipping some. Yet she found she didn't care, really. She was losing herself in his touch, and she had never felt so free.

Nobody had ever touched her this way before. Boys hadn't paid attention to the quiet girl in the back of the classroom; she'd never so much as had a date in her entire high school career. Sure, she had been curious about her body a few times, but it wasn't really something that had hugely interested her, and she frankly never got any alone time anyway. She stiffened slightly, becoming panicked at not knowing what she was supposed to do, and wondered if Peter would think badly of her if he knew.

"Do you want me to stop?" Peter asked her softly when he noticed, still rubbing the area softly, but looking at her in concern.

"N-no," Faith whimpered nervously. She wasn't lying, either; she never wanted him to stop. The sensation felt amazing, and involuntarily she pressed her hips towards his finger, not even aware of what she had done.

Peter gave her a hungry look, smirking broadly again, and pressed his finger down with more force than before. Faith began breathing heavily, and she felt Peter's breath warm on her ear. Almost hesitantly, he bit down on her earlobe, and Faith inhaled sharply, relishing in the warm contact of his mouth. She felt a tingling warmness begin to grow in her center, and she gasped at the sensation. Faith could feel a wetness spreading in her underwear as well, and she wondered what that was, and if it was normal.

Faith was suddenly very aware of the fact that they were out in the open, and she looked around self-consciously. Thankfully, Peter's body was blocking the two of them, and before she could think any further on the subject, he pressed down with even more force, making Faith whimper. She heard him growl against her ear, and his tongue dragged a lazy line along the curve of her jaw. Goosebumps crept up along the skin of her neck, and Faith squeezed her hands against the bottom of her shirt.

Suddenly, she felt Peter's fingers move aside the fabric of her shorts and dip underneath her clothing. His fingers were flush against her center, lightly stroking her curls, making her mind practically explode with pleasure. All hope of counting was lost now, as she surrendered herself to his addicting touch. Peter feathered light kisses across her neck, occasionally biting softly on her tender skin, and soothing the marks with his tongue.

His finger sank lower against her folds, rubbing the moisture he had created across her slit. When he reached her sensitive nub, he pressed down slightly and began rubbing circles, still kissing the crook of her neck. An overwhelming sensation was building up in her, starting from the front of her thighs to her throat. Faith felt her hips begin to buck slightly of her own accord, and a primal sound rose from deep within Peter's throat.

"Hmmm, you're so wet for me, Faith," Peter hummed against her throat, dipping his finger back down to collect more of the moisture on his finger.

"I-is that nor-normal?" Faith heard herself stutter, not entirely in control of what was coming from her mouth at the moment. Peter chuckled against her, sending tingles up her spine again.

"You're so innocent, Faith. I like that," He whispered in response, biting down again on her neck, harder than he had before. Faith whimpered, but he quickly soothed the area with his tongue and lips. Faith moved her forehead to rest on his shoulder, blocking out the sights and sounds of the raucous Lost Boys around them.

Faster and faster Peter worked his fingers against her, rubbing sharp circles on her warm skin. Pretty soon, Faith was moaning softly against his shoulder, hoping the sound was muffled from the others, but if she was being honest with herself, being out in the open like this was exciting and only added to her pleasure. With every sound that passed her lips, Peter pressed his fingers down and rubbed a little faster, groaning quietly as he did so.

Stars began to explode behind Faith's eyes, and every nerve in her body lit on fire with pleasure. Her stomach tightened, and the muscles in her core contracted deliciously. With a shuddering gasp and a flash of dazzling bright light, Faith came against Peter's fingers, grinding her hips against them as she rode out her pleasure.

When it was over, Faith sat with her head still against Peter in a stunned silence, struggling to regain her breath as she recovered from her orgasm. Peter continued to stroke her curls lightly, peppering her shoulder with kisses. Before Faith could fully recuperate, Peter grabbed her face with his free hand and pressed his lips roughly to hers.

At first, she was too surprised to do anything, not having been kissed before (and briefly wondering whether it was normal for a guy to touch her "down there" before he kissed her). He moved his lips against hers, biting her lip lightly, and cupping his hand against her pale face. Faith mirrored his motions on her mouth, although somewhat sloppily, and he smiled against her lips at her acceptance of his kiss.

The two teens continued kissing for several minutes, before Peter pulled away and stroked her cheek softly. Then he stood up and looked down at her with lustful blue eyes, grinning mischievously. She was very aware of his arousal at that moment, straining through his pants, begging for attention. He took the hand that had been rubbing her center and brought it slowly to his mouth, licking her own arousal from his fingers. Faith felt her face burn with pleasure and slight embarrassment.

"Wanna go back to _our_ room and have some more fun?" Peter asked her huskily, bringing the hand down away from his mouth and absentmindedly palming himself. As much fun as that had been for her (and most likely Peter as well, judging from his hardness), Faith felt like things were suddenly moving too fast, and she just wanted to curl up in a ball and absorb what had happened.

"I-I think I've had enough for tonight, Peter," Faith whispered, looking away from him, suddenly very shy under his gaze.

"Very well, I'll just take care of it myself," Peter replied, sounding slightly disappointed. Faith felt him grab her face again and turn it toward him, giving her a full view of his smirking face.

"And I'll be thinking of you and your sweet little mouth, my dear Faith," Peter added sensually, pecking her lightly on the nose before releasing her. Then he turned on his heel and swaggered towards his tree house, not even attempting to hide himself from the others. _That boy really has no shame._

Faith felt all of the curious eyes of the Lost Boys turn towards her, and her cheeks burned a bright red. The older ones were smirking knowingly at her, while the younger boys looked bemusedly puzzled. She wanted to disappear off the face of the earth at that moment, anything to escape their accusing stares.

And disappear she did. Faith found herself at the cliff top where she had hidden from Peter the first time. The breeze was blowing lightly in the trees, and smell of the ocean was oddly comforting to her. Faith walked over to a large tree a little way from the cliff and settled in its branches, letting them hug her comfortingly. Now she just had to wait for the sun to drop in the sky, and the boys to fall asleep one by one, while trying to ignore how empty and cold she felt without Peter's touch.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Omg you guys! 60 + followers and 40 reviews?! You guys rock! I really appreciate all the support my story has received, and I hope y'all continue to support it for me :) Btw I am seriously wondering what Peter/ Faith's pairing name should be? Any ideas? Message me or leave it in the review if you think of one ;)**

**WARNING: MORE SMUT SORRY I'VE BEEN ON A SMUT ROLL BUT I PROMISE THIS STORY HAS AN ACTUAL PLOT LOL **

-Chapter 20-

(Felix)

Felix moaned loudly into the steamy air of Tinkerbell's small cottage, as he continued to thrust into the blond woman below him, who was practically screaming with pleasure. The two were laying on the fairy's small cot, which creaked noisily with every passionate movement.

Tinkerbell was splayed out beneath him, her breasts gently bobbing up and down, and her mouth dropped open in ecstasy. Felix had his arms on either side of her head, propping himself up above her, and pounded into her relentlessly. The delicious sound of skin slapping against skin filled the air, along with the passionate moans passing between the two blonds.

When Tinkerbell dipped her hand between them and began stroking herself furiously, Felix wasn't sure if he could hold on much longer. The sight of the beautiful woman naked below him was enough to finish him off alone, but hearing her screaming because of him was perfection. He wished he could live in this moment forever.

With a strangled moan, Tinkerbell clenched against him, and a rush of fire surged throughout Felix's body. He came soon after she had finished with her own orgasm, collapsing on top of her and sloppily kissing her neck. Her skin was hot and sweaty like his own, yet she still smelled as sweet as honey to him.

"Gods," Tinkerbell said breathily, rubbing Felix's back with her hand lazily, dragging her fingernails lightly across his flesh. He smiled against her neck as the goosebumps cropped up on his skin. He hated that he was going to have to leave her soon. Felix had managed to slip out of the camp after Peter had "gone to bed" (here he inwardly snickered), but he needed to get back soon to avoid suspicion.

"You don't think Peter knows, do you?" the fairy asked him after a few minutes of silence, as if she had read the thoughts going through his mind.

"Not as far as I know," Felix mumbled against her skin, not wanting to even think about the possibility. Peter had weird rules about things like this, and Felix didn't want to find out if he was breaking one of them. Peter was never kind to rule-breakers.

"But Peter knows everything," Tinkerbell replied anxiously in her adorable accent.

"Trust me, he's got issues of his own that he's going through right now," said Felix, and he disentangled himself from her body regretfully. He gathered his clothes that were gracelessly flung about the cottage and started to dress himself, while Tinkerbell curled on her side, and watched him curiously.

"What do you mean?" she frowned, starting to chew her fingernails.

"I'm pretty sure Peter likes Faith," Felix answered slowly, tugging on his shirt, and avoiding eye contact with her. He knew she was bound to overreact.

"What?!" Tinkerbell shrieked, startling Felix as he was trying to pull on his pants, making him fall clumsily on his side.

"Fuck!" he exclaimed as he fell. Tinkerbell pointedly ignored him and continued to shout at him.

"How do you know? Did he tell you?"

"He didn't have to," Felix grumbled, rising to his feet and pulled on his trousers.

"Information please!" Tinkerbell glared at him, rising to her own feet and pulling on her previously discarded nightgown.

"Well, you know, just the way he looks at her, and he asked me a while back if I had ever fallen in love," Felix replied, trying to balance on one foot as he laced up his boot on the other foot.

"He did?!" Tinkerbell inquired, raising her eyebrows. Felix would have been amused at how similar the situation seemed to old wives gossiping, but he held his tongue in case the blond woman before him would get mad and hit him (which was a very distinct possibility).

"Yeah. And today they were, well...getting intimate," he worded carefully, not exactly sure what it was he had witnessed anyway, and not wanting to relay false information.

"WHAT?!" Tink exploded, hitting him in the shoulder.

"Ow! What was that for?" he exclaimed, rubbing his shoulder and glaring at her.

"Would you start being more specific, please?!" she demanded, glaring back at him with a ferocious intensity.

"Sorry, it's just...I'm not even really sure of what I saw. I mean, they were in the corner of the campsite doing...something, and then they just started making out. And it was pretty obvious afterward that whatever it was they were doing was doing it for Peter. He walked away at...y'know...full attention," Felix gave her a pointed look, and her eyes widened.

"Oh my gods! That sick bastard! Who the hell does he think he is? I'm going to give that asshole a piece of my mind!" Tinkerbell blabbered angrily. She made toward the door, but was stopped by Felix grabbing her arm.

"No, you can't!" He said while placing both hands on either of her shoulders, and looking her in the eye.

"Why the hell not?" she shrugged Felix off and rounded on him, hands on her hips, and stared daggers at him. He swallowed his apprehension and silently gave himself the courage to tell the woman something she probably wouldn't want to hear.

"First of all, it's not really any of your business," here she gave him the deadliest look, but he ignored it and continued speaking. "And second, you can't tell Peter Pan what to do, you know that."

"But he can't do this to her! She's so sweet and innocent and..." Tinkerbell trailed off, struggling for a reason to find fault with the situation.

"I think she likes him too, Tink," he responded, laying a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"But-" Tinkerbell started to say but Felix cut her off.

"Just let it go, Tink. We need to mind our own business, and try to worry about making sure Peter doesn't know about us."

"Do you really think it would be that big of a deal if he found out, love?" Tinkerbell asked him seriously, switching gears as if their previous conversation hadn't happened, and she hadn't just been yelling at him.

"I don't want to find out," Felix replied, before kissing her gently on the nose and turning to leave.

"Wait, Felix!" she said, and he turned back to her.

"Keep an eye on Faith for me, and make sure she doesn't get hurt," Tinkerbell continued softly.

"Of course," Felix reassured her, and gave her another gentle kiss. "See you soon, beautiful," He called out before dashing into the forest, with the sweet smell of Tinkerbell still filling his nostrils.

-Peter-

Peter strode into his room, kicked off his boots and plopped onto his bed purposefully. Thoughts of Faith were swirling around in his mind, and every time he remembered her soft moans into his shoulder he felt a rush of desire explode through his body. Peter could still feel her slick skin against his fingers, heated with arousal at his skilled fingers; he could still taste the smooth skin of her neck on his tongue.

Before Peter could so much as think, his trousers were pooled around his ankles and he had himself grasped in his hand. His hardness had ached while he had watched Faith become undone beneath him, and he had longed to feel her hands around him. The friction Peter felt now from his own hand wasn't ideal, but he would have to make do.

He swiped his thumb over the tip, spreading his excitement across himself. He thought about the look of innocent arousal he had seen in Faith's eyes, and the fact that she hadn't even known what being wet meant. He was probably the first guy to ever touch her sweet, soft body, and that excited him more than he thought possible.

Peter frantically stroked himself, rubbing his thumb softly over the tip again every so often. He wondered what he would look like with Faith's hands wrapped around him; wondered how she would look laying naked before him, her legs spread open wide and her breasts bared for his eyes only. Every thought of Faith was like a shot of adrenaline to his body, and her face was the only thing floating through his mind as he began softly tugging on his balls, pleasure resonating through every nerve in his body.

Faster and faster he stroked, nearing his completion rapidly. He remembered Faith bucking her hips against his fingers, grinding every possible pleasure she could from him, and he felt his stomach tighten and a warm tingling spread through out his body. With a loud groan, he came onto his abdomen, wishing it was into Faith's mouth instead. With a click of his fingers, the substance disappeared as if it had never been there, and Peter collapsed onto his back.

Peter lay there in silence for several minutes, struggling to catch his breath. He folded one arm underneath his neck, while the other rested against his stomach. He wished Faith was here curled beside him, her warmth radiating throughout him. He wished he could smell her sweet flowery scent, and feel her smooth skin underneath his rough fingertips.

Honestly, Peter hadn't meant to take things that far with her, but when he saw Faith's positive response to his touch, he became addicted to it. Every gasp, breath, and moan overpowered every shred of willpower he contained, and Peter had been very close to taking her right there. He wouldn't have cared if everybody was watching; Peter wanted them to see. Faith was his, and he wanted the whole damn island to know. The only thing stopping him was the fact that Faith was a virgin, and he wanted her first time to be special.

Something had changed in Peter as he watched Faith writhe beneath him. Watching her become undone from his own hand had made Peter feel almost as powerful as using dark magic. To be honest, just being around Faith made him feel powerful, like he could run an entire universe (which, let's be honest, could totally happen). He felt like soaring through the clouds and running around the entire island, screaming at the top of his lungs. The way she looked at him sometimes made him feel like some sort of king, and he craved that. And if he was an all-powerful king, then she was his beautiful queen.

Peter half-halfheartedly tugged his pants back up his legs, not even bothering to buckle his belt. He could feel his eyes slowly drifting shut, and his head was nodding off against his curled arm. Peter didn't sleep very much on the damned island, but he felt so relaxed and worry-free that he couldn't even stop his eyelids from drooping shut. The last thing he saw in his mind's eye before he fell asleep was Faith's adorably innocent pale face.

~Faith~

It was pitch dark when Faith decided it was probably safe to come back to the camp. There was a new moon that night, so the sky seemed darker than usual, and there was an odd chill in the hanging in the air.

Faith disentangled herself from the large tree, snagging her shorts on the rough bark. She silently cursed herself for not wearing warmer clothing, but then she remembered that she hadn't exactly planned on being out and about at this time of night. If only she had been less self-conscious, she could've stayed in the camp and ignored the accusing stares of the Lost Boys.

Into the forest she went, wishing she had been wearing shoes, as well, as her toes squished the wet moss beneath her feet. Occasionally she slipped and fell, and the trees seemed permanently hellbent on trying to tear her clothing apart. Faith could have sworn she heard snickering and whispering in the trees around her, and she picked up the pace, frantically counting under her breath. It was eerily silent, with not even a breath of wind in the night air.

The forest was like a never-ending maze to Faith, each tree and bush looking exactly the same, and each fork in the road seeming to take her to the same place as before. Her breathing escalated rapidly as it had earlier in the night, only this time she was scared out of her mind, and starting to panic. _One, two-You're being ridiculous, Faith. Three, four- There's nobody there. Five, six- It's just your imagination. SEVEN! _

Faith tripped over a fallen log laying precariously on the ground, scraping her shin harshly against the rough surface. She clutched at the wound painfully, inhaling sharply at the piercing sting. Blood trickled between her fingers and down her leg, staining her pale skin red. Faith felt tears of annoyance and frustration pricking at her eyes, and she wiped them away furiously.

Why couldn't she just find her way back to the campsite where Peter was waiting for her, ready to keep her safe? Despite being intimidated by his confident bravado, Faith had the feeling he would still do anything to keep her safe from harm's way. She briefly remembered the time she had fallen asleep in his arms, and realized it had been the most safe and comfortable she had ever felt.

A quiet cackling snapped Faith from her thoughts, and she whipped her head around trying to locate the source of the noise. Her heart pounded painfully in her chest, and her skin prickled with energy. Suddenly, a young woman stepped out of the shadows of the forest.

She was a very pretty young woman, with delicate features and large blue eyes, but there was a haunting darkness hidden in their depths that scared Faith. The woman was of a slim build, yet she had soft feminine curves that Faith knew would have been the source of envy for some of the girls she went to school with. Her chin-length hair was wild and wavy, giving her the appearance of haven't having slept in several days; that, and the dark circles under her red-rimmed eyes.

"Well, well, well, look what we have here," the woman said with a smile that didn't quite meet her eyes. She spoke with the same strange accent as Peter and some of the other Lost Boys. Faith stayed silent, not trusting the hungry energy that this strange person exuded; she just continued to count and hold on to her injured leg.

"Are you this "Faith" girl I keep hearing about?" the young female asked, grinning sardonically when there was no reply. She must have taken Faith's silence as an answer, because she continued to speak as if Faith had responded. "I wonder what Peter sees in you. You seem so...ordinary. And weak."

Faith sat there stupidly, not sure what she was supposed to say. Who was this woman and how did she know Faith's name? As far as Faith was aware, she and Tinkerbell were the only females on the island. Was it possible that Peter had lied to her? The thought alone made Faith's skin crawl, and she tried to focus entirely on counting and not pathetically curling into a ball.

The woman seemed to be growing tired of Faith's silence (everyone eventually did), as she was tapping her foot impatiently while she awaited a response. When she received none, the woman clicked her fingers, and two shadows came forth from the woods, carrying something in between them. Faith gasped when she realized what it was.

A scared Lost Boy was dangling between the two dark figures, struggling uselessly. Faith had seen him around the camp a few times, but he was relatively new to the island, so she hadn't had the chance to learn his name. He was probably 13 or 14 years of age, with smooth brown hair laying against his head. He was scrawny and dirty, most likely from his time on Neverland, and his hollow brown eyes were darting about in panic.

"Faith, as you are aware, Peter has led you to believe many things about Neverland. One being that he is the most powerful being alive. And another being that he is the king of this island. Neither of those things is true," The woman spoke, pacing softly around the fallen log where Faith still sat. _What the hell is she talking about? What is even going on?_ Faith thought confusedly, which only added to her befuddled panic.

"What is true, however, is _I _am going to be the new leader of Neverland. Even if I have to pry control of this island out of Peter's cold, dead hands, I will have it. You'll soon find that I crave power, Faith. I will stop at absolutely nothing to gain power. Plus, this island could do with a great queen. Do you know what a great queen does, Faith?" The woman had been slowly walking over to the young boy being held by the shadows as she spoke. Now she was standing right before him, her face shoved into the boy's quivering jaw. Faith had a feeling that she didn't want to find out what this woman thought a great queen should do. _She's crazy, isn't she?_

"A great queen gives her subjects a reason to fear her," the woman continued, smiling sadistically back at Faith. _Yup, she's crazy. I am lost in the forests of Neverland with a crazy woman with a Napoleon complex. Oh god, what have I gotten myself into?_ Faith's thoughts raced through her mind one after the other, followed by furious counting.

Before Faith could so much as react, a dark force of energy erupted from the young woman, staining the forest with a purple light. The woman slapped her hands onto the boy's shoulders, and the dark energy zapped into his body. When Faith realized what was happening, she put her hands up and screamed at the boy to run, but it was too late. His body jolted and convulsed, and a piercing shriek resonated off of the dark trees, chilling Faith to the very core of her soul. The boys eyes were rolling into the back of his head, and saliva dribbled down the corner of his slack mouth.

It seemed to go on forever, the boy flailing pathetically and screaming so loud, Faith was surprised nobody had heard them and come to investigate. The woman was wearing an expression of twisted satisfaction, and she seemed to be greatly enjoying the entire affair. The two shadows stood there as if nothing was happening, staring ahead impassively.

After what seemed like hours, and the boys cries had long since stopped, the energy flowing between the two abruptly stopped, and the woman removed her hands from the boys limp body. Faith's mind was whirling in emotional turmoil, and too many emotions were battling for her attention.

The woman turned around and looked Faith dead in the eye, and she wouldn't have been surprised if the young woman could see straight into her soul. Faith couldn't move, she couldn't speak, and she couldn't comprehend exactly what had just happened and how she felt about it.

"Tell Peter that Wendy Darling sends her love," the woman said after some time, before disappearing along with her two shadows in a cloud of deep violet smoke.

Faith watched in horror as the young boy's limp body dropped to the ground in slow motion. His fall seemed painfully slow, and Faith didn't want it to actually happen. She wished she could disappear, or, better yet, make him disappear, so she would never have to see his unmoving body again.

Before she could hear the sickening drop of the boy's corpse to the ground, Faith's emotions hit her like a speeding train, and she screamed so loud her vocal chords felt like they would rip in half. The last thing she saw was his body thudding against the dirty forest floor, and then everything went black.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Hey guys! Guess who's back?! I'm really sorry I haven't posted recently but it's been a combination of being busy, and having some lack of ambition. I don't know if you guys really care, but I've been battling some depression lately, so I've been slacking off in all departments. I apologize, and I will really try to keep up to date for you guys! (P.S. Last chapter I asked what Peter/ Faith pairing name should be and someone said Paith? What do y'all think?)**

**Enjoy :)  
**

-Chapter 21-

-Peter-

Peter was wrenched from his peaceful sleep by somebody frantically shaking his shoulders and shouting far too loudly at him. His eyes reluctantly opened and he saw one of his Lost Boys before him, looking wide-eyed and terrified. He groaned tiredly before answering, wishing he could turn over and fall back asleep.

"What it is, Calum?" he mumbled, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Peter wasn't used to being tired and sleeping for extended periods. His body felt fuzzy and unused, and the bright sun streaming through his window hurt his eyes.

"You need to come with me, Peter! Something's happened!" the dark-haired teenager replied, his eyes wide and desperate.

"What are you on about?" Peter snapped, irritated with the boy's vagueness, and from his abrupt awakening. He would have slapped the Lost Boy had his arms not felt like useless noodles.

"We don't know what happened, but we found Jackson and Faith-"

"Wait, you what?" Peter interrupted when he heard Faith's name, his stomach lurching.

"We found them in the forest together, and..." Calum began, looking away nervously.

"And what?" Peter narrowed his eyes, knowing whatever he was about to hear wasn't going to be good news.

"Jackson is...well, he's dead."

"Is Faith okay?!" Peter jumped to his feet, rounding on the teenager before him. The fatigue washed away from him abruptly, and Peter was wide awake now. Something akin to panic was spreading through his extremities, and his blood was running ice cold. Peter's heart pounded in his chest, and his pulse was thundering in his head.

"She's not injured...but...," Calum trailed off, looking like he was struggling to find the appropriate words.

"Tell me what's wrong with her, right now," Peter commanded roughly, placing his hands on the boy's narrow shoulders. The suspense of not knowing was practically killing him, and it took every fiber of his being not to strike the young boy. Calum sensed Peter's irritation and gulped visibly before continuing.

"She won't talk to anyone and she's just curled in a ball on the ground. We've tried getting her to say something but she just keeps mumbling and rocking on the ground." He answered in a rush, some of his words mashing together.

"Where is she?" Peter asked him as he soared out of the tree house, searching the campsite wildly. His panic was consuming him at this point, and he needed to find Faith immediately, or he would explode.

"Still back in the clearing. Nobody wanted to move anything before you saw it," he heard the boy answer from somewhere behind him.

"Well, don't just stand there like an idiot, show me where she is," Peter snarled, rounding on the poor boy when he took a second too long to reply.

Calum ran ahead of the surly teenager, stumbling slightly in his nervous haste. Peter kept close behind the boy as they darted and weaved through the greenery. Deeper and deeper into the forest they ran, until they were nearing the nearly impassable rocky badlands towards the center of the island. The terrain was usually avoided by Peter and his Lost Boys, only being used when they dared each other to try to reach the bottom. No one ever had without severe injury (except for Peter of course; flight is extremely useful).

After what seemed like hours, the two teenagers arrived at an area of fallen trees, and Peter's heart practically stopped beating. Jackson, a relatively new addition to the Lost Boys, was lying face first on the dirt, his body a grotesque sight. The young boy's veins were flush against the surface of his skin, striping his entire body with dark purple marks. His fingertips were charred and blackened, and blood was leaking from his ear, with a small pool of it formed around his head. The smell of burned flesh filled the arena, and Calum was gagging somewhere behind him.

Faith, meanwhile, was lying next to a fallen log a few feet away, her legs curled into her chest. She stared unseeing ahead, mumbling under her breath. Peter's heart tugged painfully at the sight, and he rushed over to her, wanting nothing more than to take the hurt away from her. The wide, frantic look in her eyes made him feel sick.

"Faith?" Peter whispered, laying his hand on her shoulder gently. Faith whipped her head to look at him and whimpered when she saw who it was. The look of utter fear in her green eyes upset Peter; he hated to see her look at him this way. A gut wrenching sadness swept through him, and he fought the urge to pull her into an embrace; he had to take things slow with her or she would pull further away.

Faith crawled back frantically and pressed her back against a tree trunk, tears falling rapidly down her face. Peter knew how well she kept herself emotionally guarded, so whatever had caused her to cry must have been extremely traumatizing to her. Inadvertently, Peter became enraged, wanting to hurt whoever had caused her this much pain. He kept a straight face, however, to avoid startling Faith any further.

"Shh, Faith, it's all right. I'm not going to hurt you," Peter soothed quietly, slowly walking towards the frightened teenage girl, taking care not to startle her. He felt like he was approaching an injured animal, and Faith's wildly darting eyes reminded him of a scared baby deer.

When Peter had finally reached her, he knelt before her and slowly placed a hand on her cheek. Faith flinched, but allowed him to leave it there. He smiled reassuringly and rubbed his thumb against her soft, freckled skin. After a few seconds, Faith leaned her head into his hand.

"There, there, that's it. Just tell me what happened," Peter whispered, taking his other hand and placing it on the opposite cheek.

The look that Faith gave Peter in response was haunting; her eyes seemed both numb and screaming for help. She slowly shook her head and another tear escaped from the corner of her eye. She wasn't ready to talk, and Peter would not force her to. He simply smiled and wiped away the salty tears from her cheeks.

A wracking sob pushed through Faith's lips and she threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and continuing to cry loudly against his shoulder. Peter was stunned at first, not used to Faith initiating contact with him. He recovered quickly, however, and wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight as she bawled. Her body felt warm and familiar against his, as if they were made to be in close proximity.

They stood there for quite some time, with Peter supporting Faith as she cried, tracing reassuring circles against her back with his finger. With every lament he heard from Faith, Peter felt his heart break, and he silently vowed to destroy whoever made her feel this way. Whoever made Faith cry like this, didn't deserve to be alive in Peter's mind. What kind of monster would upset such an innocent person?

_You would._ A voice in Peter's head reminded him, but he pushed the thought to the back of his mind and continued to comfort the girl in his arms.

After a while, Faith stopped crying, and was gently hiccuping against his shoulder. The small sounds made him smile. Peter pulled away far enough to look at her face, which was red and slightly swollen. He gently wiped away the tears that had fallen on her cheeks, and smiled reassuringly.

"Shall we get you back to camp, Faithy?" Peter asked, pushing away a strand of hair that had fallen into her eyes. She flicked her beautiful green eyes to his and gave him a slight, watery smile. He grinned when she nodded, and Peter noticed she was looking at him with trust in her eyes, the first time she had ever really done so. Peter turned his head to the teenager who was standing awkwardly at the edge of the treeline, looking pointedly away from the corpse and trying not to gag.

"Stay here, Calum. I'll be back soon," Peter commanded, and disappeared while holding Faith.

The two reappeared at the campsite, which was filled with worried Lost Boys. Some of them rushed forward when they saw Peter return, but they stopped abruptly when they saw him holding Faith. The boys were giving her weird looks, which confused Peter, but he ignored them and walked Faith over to a log and sat her down on it.

Peter squatted in front of her and took her soft hand in his. He saw a slight blush creep up her neck, and he smirked, glad that she was still feeling well enough to register his touches; he would never get tired of her adorable blushing. He traced an absent line across her arm and looked at her downcast eyes.

"I need to leave for a little while, Faith. Are you going to be okay?" Peter asked gently, rubbing a small circle against her hand with his thumb. A brief worried look flashed in her eyes, and for a minute he thought she was going to start crying again, but she simply nodded and continued looking forward, eyes unseeing.

Peter lifted her small hand to his mouth and placed a gentle kiss against it before he got up and turned around. He scanned the campsite for Felix, but the blond teenager was nowhere to be found. Irritation pricked at Peter; Felix had been mysteriously disappearing these past couple of days, and didn't bother to tell Peter where he had been. Peter had been too preoccupied, though, to really care, but now it was slowly dawning on him and that, combined with the day's events was pissing him off.

"Where the hell is Felix?" Peter hissed to Chef, who was scrubbing pots next to the fire.

"Haven't seen him all mornin', Pan," the young boy responded in his twanging southern accent.

As if summoned by their conversation, Felix came strolling through the clearing, adjusting his clothes with a sly grin on his face. Peter's annoyance went through the roof as he watched his friend's smug satisfaction.

"Where the fuck have you been?" Peter spat through gritted teeth, his hands clenched tightly. He could feel his rage threatening to spill over, and he struggled to hold his magic inside of him; he didn't want to scare Faith.

"For a stroll," Felix answered, almost too casually. The blond teen was suspiciously avoiding eye contact with Peter.

"Just a stroll?" Peter asked, narrowing his eyes; he hated to be lied to.

"Yup," Felix replied, digging his club into the ground.

"Well, while you were out "taking a stroll" one of our Lost Boys was killed in front of Faith," Peter snapped, his fists clenching so tight it hurt his palms. His magic was roiling and raging underneath the surface of his skin, begging to be released.

"What happened?" Felix asked anxiously, whipping his head to wear Faith was sat, a concerned expression painting his features.

"Well, as my second-in-command I was hoping you would have some sort of clue," Peter said coldly, crossing his arms across his chest. His magic was still threatening to burst against his skin, and the more he thought about Felix's strange behavior, the more pissed off he became.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Felix responded quickly, still refusing to look at Peter, which only furthered his anger. It was searing throughout his body like a hot iron, threatening to burn his skin.

"You wouldn't have to guess, if you had actually been here, instead of mulling about. You want to know what happened while you were "taking a stroll"? Jackson was killed in front of Faith," Peter replied, each word dripping with venom as he closed the space between them.

"Jackson's dead? What the hell happened? Is Faith okay?" Felix asked, faster than he normally would, and whipped his head around. It irritated Peter that Felix would claim to care about Faith, yet he hadn't even been there to comfort her like he had.

"Faith's been better. As for what happened to Jackson..." here Peter paused dramatically (he did enjoy his theatrics) and leaned so close to Felix that their noses were almost touching. "...your guess is as good as mine," he whispered dangerously. Peter could see Felix swallowing nervously out of the corner of his eye. He smirked slightly, before grabbing Felix by the arm and transporting them to the scene of the crime.

"Shit," Felix muttered under his breath, as he examined the body of the young boy. It seemed to become more gruesome as time went on, and Peter knew they would have to take care of it soon before it started to decompose.

"What do you think happened?" The blond teen asked his leader curiously.

"He appears to have been electrocuted, and seeing as there's no sort of electricity on this island, the most likely explanation is magic," Peter explained, rotating around the corpse, trying to gauge what could have possibly happened. He'd honestly never really seen anything like it in all his years on Neverland. Hell, even on Earth he had never seen a similar situation.

"Okay, so if we rule you out as the source of the magic, that only leaves one other person," Felix said slowly. Peter felt his irritation returning again, and a surge of cold anger went through him.

"You can't possibly be suggesting this was Faith's doing?" Peter asked icily, clenching his hands again.

"I'm just drawing rational conclusions, Peter," Felix defended, holding his hands up in front of him.

"Faith wouldn't hurt a butterfly, Felix, yet you think she killed a human being?" Peter could feel the magic swirling around his hands again, and he struggled to maintain calm.

"I dunno, maybe Jackson startled her, and she couldn't control her magic. Maybe he was teasing her, or maybe he just took things too far. You know how Faith is," Felix replied cautiously.

Peter was beyond pissed at this point. First, Felix pretended to care about Faith, going so far as to compare her to a sister. Then, Felix is nowhere to be seen, and starts accusing Faith of murder. How could anybody think Faith could be capable of such a thing. He saw her get upset when she accidentally sat on a caterpillar one day. He had no doubt in his mind that Faith had nothing to do with this, but that didn't mean he had any clue as to who actually did it.

"You know Felix, I don't know what the hell has gotten into you, but how can you dare suggest something like that? I thought Faith was important to you!" Peter growled viciously, his magic sparkling and crackling at this point.

"She is important to me! But, I don't know, Peter! People change! Things happen, and you just have to accept them!" Felix shouted back, staring at the ground ahead of him as if he was having the heated discussion with the log instead of Peter.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Peter asked, quirking an eyebrow and frowning.

"Look, Peter, this isn't about me," Felix deflected quickly, whipping his eyes up to the surly teen's. "This is about whatever happened to Jackson. Regardless of who did it, there is somebody dangerous out there, and we need to figure out who it is soon. We could all be in danger."

Peter grunted in approval and squatted down before the corpse. He was absolutely sure that Faith hadn't done anything to Jackson, but that still left the question of who did. Whoever did was extremely powerful, and knew exactly what they were doing. Even Peter himself had never managed to kill anybody like that.

Suddenly they were transported to the cliff's edge, near Peter's thinking tree. The salty sea air wafted across Peter's face, and the waves crashed below loudly. He and Felix rose at the same time, and Peter gave a brief nod to Felix. The blond teen nodded back and rolled the corpse over the edge of the cliff, watching it tumble down into the waters below. Soon after the mermaids arrived, ripping and tearing into the flesh with greedy hands.

Peter was aware of a subtle change in the wind, making his hair stand on end. Something wasn't right, and the island was trying to tell him so. He scanned through his mind, connecting with the powers of Neverland, and sensed a battle somewhere. When he concentrated further, he could feel the fighting happening in the campsite, and his heart began to race.

"Shit," Peter muttered under his breath. Before Felix could so much as give him a questioning glance, they were teleported back to the clearing, and met with chaos.

The Lost Boys were fighting furiously, each brandishing a shiny weapon of some sort; even Chef was swinging his frying pan around. Their opponents were a large group of savage females, some young girls and others almost adults. They varied in size and skin color as well, but all were painted with bright red stripes across their bodies. Each girl was outfitted in a tan dress, with beads jingling together in tassels near the hem. The girls battled with spears and tomahawks, dealing serious blows to Peter's Lost Boys. Peter glanced around nervously, and was thankful to see that Faith was nowhere to be found.

With a wave of his hand, Peter tried to freeze all of the girls, but was surprised to find his magic wasn't affecting them. _Christ, not this again. _Peter swore under his breath, and pulled his dagger from his belt, rushing to the nearest girl and starting to fight. He saw Felix do the same out of the corner of his eye.

The girls fought viciously, some of them ganging up on a single boy, others trading blows with several of his own Lost Boys. Peter's boys were not to be trifled with, however, as years of rough housing had prepared them for even the dirtiest of fighters. Soon, many of the girls had retreated into the forest, until there was only a small group of them left, in a small circle near the center of the clearing..

Peter focused on the girl in the middle, who seemed to be their leader. She was tall and lithe, with copper skin and dark brown eyes that stared hauntingly into one's soul. She was probably no older than Peter was, yet she held herself with an experienced air, shouting off commands left and right to her soldiers. Peter knew he if he wanted any information as to why these mysterious girls were here, he would have to take down their leader.

Peter fought his way through the center of the circle, easily taking down the female warriors with no more than a few flicks of his dagger. Their leader, however, had seen him nudging his way in, and was prepared for him when he squared up in front of her. She held a deadly looking machete in her hand, noticeably notched from the blows she had traded in previous battles. With a flick of his wrist, Peter's small dagger was replaced with a longer sword, and he rushed at her.

Back and forth they sprang at each other, their swords clanging loudly every time they crossed. With every jab he made at the girl, she gave Peter an equal counterattack, matching him step for step. The girls and boys around them had stopped fighting, yet the two continued to spar, oblivious to the halt in the action.

When the girl made the treacherous mistake of leaving her left side open, Peter took the chance and stepped around, slicing the blade harshly across her skin, and using his foot to trip up her balance. She fell to her knees, clutching her arm, yet she didn't utter a sound, not even when Peter held the sword up to her neck, chuckling lowly.

She stayed silent even as the rest of her warriors scattered into the overgrown vegetation, leaving her with the group of injured (and very pissed) Lost Boys. She stayed silent as Peter forced her towards the center of the group, and tied her hands behind her back. The girl even kept quiet as the boys around her began to chant and jeer barbarically, instead staring straight ahead with unseeing eyes. Peter threw his hand in the air, signaling for quiet, and the Lost boys immediately complied, though they continued to grin.

"I've never had the pleasure of meeting you here before. What brings you to our neck of the woods," Peter cooed sarcastically, earning a few appreciative laughs from the surrounding boys. The girl glanced up at him briefly, before returning her gaze to the fire ahead.

"Ah, so you're the quiet type, then? We've had quite a few of your kind here. You know what works best on quiet people, _love_?" He asked quietly, grazing his sword across the exposed skin of her shoulder. "Fear..." he dropped his voice to a barely audible decibel and pressed the sword hard enough to leave a trail of blood on her skin. "...and pain."

Peter lifted his hands and again tried to use magic against her, but she merely smirked when she noticed his attempts. Peter gritted his teeth and brought the palm of his hand sharply against her cheek. The smack echoed across the clearing, and wiped the smirk clean off her face.

Peter looked at his hand and noticed the red paint smeared across it. The girl seemed to see it as well, because a panicked look flashed across her face. Suddenly it dawned on Peter. _The paint_! He thought excitedly, and he summoned a bucket of water out of thin air.

Without warning, Peter dumped it on the head of the teenage girl, who hissed at him in annoyance. The paint ran down her body in messy streaks, staining it a deep red color. He repeated dumping water on her, until the paint was pooled around her in a small puddle on the ground. Curiously, he flicked his hand, and watched in satisfaction as she flew upwards into the air, and landed on the ground with a loud thud.

"I admit, your little concoction was very clever, but there was no way you came up with that on your own," Peter continued, watching the dirt absorb the paint and water solution.

"What makes you say that?" the girl spoke up, almost startling Peter. Her voice was rough and gravely like the scars she bore on her arms and legs.

"I'm so glad you asked. You see, I recognize the berry used to make the paint you ladies were wearing," Peter explained excitedly, pacing back and forth in front of the girl. The Lost Boys watched him with wide eyes, hungrily drinking in his every word. "The robor berry is a very powerful little fruit that allows one to cloak themselves from magic, the only drawback being it's poisonous when ingested. Funny thing about the robor berry, is it has only ever been found in one place."

The girl's eyes watched him stalk before her with an impassive expression. Her lack of emotion irritated Peter, and he wished she would give him any indication that she knew what he was talking about. He continued to talk arrogantly, however, as if none of it bothered him.

"Where is this magical place it can be found? I'm so glad you asked. The Enchanted Forest," at this, he saw the girl's eyes light up in recognition, and he smirked triumphantly.

"Now how could somebody with robor berries from the Enchanted Forest, end up in Neverland all of the sudden without an invitation from me? A little outside help of course. Now why don't you tell me who you're working for before things get ugly for you," Peter threatened, stopping in front of her and examining his nails nonchalantly. To his surprise the girl laughed.

"You have no idea, do you?" She asked in a patronizing tone.

Peter gritted his teeth and slapped her harshly again. She lifted her head again, and wore a sickening smile that enraged Peter.

"I would've thought you had figured it out by now," she said again, as a small trail of blood trickled out of her nose.

Peter's rage couldn't be contained at this point. She was trying to make him look stupid, and was doing so in front of his Lost Boys. The control he had been trying to keep snapped, and his magic swirled and crackled in his hands. In a swift motion, he had pinned her up against a tree with his magic and squeezed his fist, effectively choking her.

"Who the hell are you working for?" Peter asked bluntly, dropping all humorous pretense. "Is it the Dark One?" The girl gave a sputtering laugh again.

"The Dark One...is nothing...compared to...her," the girl managed to choke out. _Her?_ Peter thought, utterly bewildered at her answer.

"Tell me, now," Peter commanded, squeezing her tighter so her eyes bulged slightly from her head.

"Wendy...Darling," the girl coughed weakly, and Peter released her magical hold in surprise.

The girl gasped and heaved as Peter stood there in shock, trying to comprehend what he had just heard. Wendy Darling? His former prisoner, Wendy Darling? This had to be a joke. There was absolutely no way this girl was telling the truth.

"Wendy Darling?" Peter asked stupidly, blinking slowly. A slow clapping came from the edge of the clearing, and Peter whipped his head to the source of the sound.

A lethally beautiful young woman was standing there with Faith lying unconscious in front of her. Peter wouldn't have recognized her had she not been announced. Wendy's figure was no longer slight and bony, but curvaceous and mature. Her curly hair was cropped to her ears and her eyes were dark and empty. There was a dangerous energy about her that made Peter uneasy.

"Miss me, Petey?" Wendy asked sarcastically.

"I actually haven't given you a second thought until now," Peter shot back, looking nervously at Faith crumpled on the ground before her. She was breathing normally, but there was blood leaking from a wound on the back of her head. Peter's eyes narrowed and his hands clenched so hard he could feel his fingernails biting into his flesh.

"Funny, because you're all I've been able to think about. Revenge is bittersweet that way," Wendy answered darkly.

"What did you do to Faith?" Peter asked, ignoring the woman's attempt to get a rise out of him.

"As I'm sure you've figured out by now, magic doesn't exactly work on your dear little Faith," Wendy began, and Peter flinched when she said Faith's name. Nobody this wicked should dare to even breathe such an innocent name. "Don't worry, though, I made sure she saw me before I hit her with the rock."

"What the hell do you want, Wendy?" Peter spat, his blood running cold. He longed for nothing more than to snatch Faith away from her, but he had a feeling the cruel woman would hurt Faith if he tried.

"I want to do a little experiment, Peter. Do you remember how little Faith's life was saved?" Wendy cooed sarcastically, nudging a foot into the unconscious girl's back.

"Of course, the flower," Peter responded narrowing his eyes. Just how long had Wendy been on this island without him knowing? The thought brought a shudder to his mind.

"Exactly. Now, do you remember the legend behind said flower?" she prompted with a sick smile.

"It was a drop of sunlight," He answered simply. Peter had no idea what she was getting at, and he was tired of her little game of question and answer.

"Now what happens to the sunlight, I wonder, when everything goes dark?" Wendy pondered viciously, her grin transforming into something almost feral.

~Faith~

The back of her head throbbed and pulsed with every breath she took, and her eyelids felt heavy and drugged. Faith struggled to open her eyes, and tried moving her arms and legs but they felt like sluggish and unresponsive. She had no idea where she was or even what time it was. She sifted frantically through her mind and tried to remember what happened.

"What the hell do you want, Wendy?" a voice growled, sounding tinny and far away. Faith didn't want it to stop talking; she felt like she recognized it.

"I want to do a little experiment, Peter. Do you remember how little Faith's life was saved?" a woman said. Something about this voice seemed familiar to but she couldn't quite place it either.

"Of course, the flower," the other voice responded, and Faith realized it was Peter's voice. Her heart jumped madly in her chest at the sultry tone of his voice.

"Exactly. Now, do you remember the legend behind said flower?" the second voice cackled, sounding none too pleasant.

Wait a minute...Faith had heard that voice before. The memories hit her like a ton of bricks, crashing into her at one time and making her head ache worse.

_ Faith had been sitting on the log where Peter had left her, desperately trying not to cry, and trying to ignore the looks from the other boys. Some of the whispered harshly around her, while others threw her sympathetic looks. Faith ignored the sounds, trying to escape inside herself like she had always done. _

_ "Slut," she heard someone say. _

_ When she looked up, Faith saw it was Robert, the boy who had been so nice to her earlier. The boy who Peter had almost killed. A shiver ran down her spine involuntarily, and it took Faith every ounce of willpower not to cry in front of the boys. She didn't feel safe without Peter, and crying would make her feel even more vulnerable. _

_ Faith struggled to keep the tears inward and ignore the murmurs around her. Usually, nobody paid attention to her, and she was just fine with that. But now, she felt her skin crawling with the accusing stares. What had she even done wrong? The boys hadn't had a problem with her before. _

_ A rustle of leaves to her left drew Faith out of her trance. She slowly turned her head towards it, and practically jumped out of her seat when she saw a pair of dark, angry eyes looking back at her. Before she could so much as gasp, a rush of girls flooded through the campsite, ululating loudly and attacking the Lost Boys. _

_ Weapons were scrambled to be drawn, and shouts erupted from the previously peaceful camp. Faith scrambled backwards, trying to find a hiding place, but nobody seemed to be paying any attention to her anyway. Furiously she counted in her mind, stumbling over the words in her haste to get away._

_ Faith found a large rock facing the clearing and she dove behind it, pulling her knees up to her chest. She watched the vicious fighting going on, and her heart started fluttering in her chest when she saw Peter join the fighting in the clearing. Faith wanted to call out to him, but her vocal chords were paralyzed with fear. _

_ A branch cracked to her left, and Faith whipped her head frantically to locate the noise. A woman stepped into view, smiling cruelly. An eternity seemed to pass with the two females simply staring at each other. Finally, the woman sighed dramatically and stepped forward._

_ "I don't even know what Peter sees in you. You seem so plain," she remarked cruelly, crossing her hands over her chest. Faith didn't want to dignify that with a response, and she wouldn't have known what to say anyway._

_ "It's going to be so fun torturing you," The woman spat viciously, a cruel smile painting her face._

_ "W-what do you want-t?" Faith managed to squeak out, hating herself for sounding so weak._

_ "I want to destroy Peter Pan," she replied darkly, slowly grabbing a rock off the ground._

_ "P-please don't." Faith begged, cowering against the boulder she had been hiding behind._

_ The woman simply smiled before raising the boulder above her head. There was a blinding pain, and suddenly everything went dark. _

When Faith snapped out of her flashback, the two were still talking, not having made much progress in the conversation. She listened in closely to what the tall woman, Wendy apparently, was saying, and caught the tail end of the sentence.

"...happens when everything goes dark?" she heard Wendy ask, before cackling maniacally.

"Don't you dare touch a hair on her head," Peter threatened darkly, and had it been Faith, she would have peed her pants from the frightening look he gave Wendy. But the woman simply smiled sardonically before answering.

"I won't be touching anything, technically."

"Wha-" Peter began to say, but he stopped abruptly.

Faith looked up slowly to see what had stopped Peter from finishing his question, but all she saw was a magnificent black light before a force of energy hit her like a train.

Never in her entire life had Faith felt such a terrible pain. It wasn't hot and burning like most pain tended to be, but it was a cold and intense pain. It was as if she had been stuck quickly inside a freezer without any clothes on. Every nerve ending twinged and pierced under her skin, and her heart was either beating too fast or not at all. Faith was aware of a screaming noise, but she couldn't tell whether it was her or not.

The pain stopped after what seemed like years, but really had been only a few seconds. Faith flopped onto the ground, unaware that her muscles had spasmed her into a standing position during the episode. After a beat of silence, that terrible woman's voice sounded again, much too close for Faith's comfort.

"Consider this war, Peter," Wendy announced, and with a rush of wind, she was gone.


End file.
